BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. A group of
Azerbaijani NGO leaders and human rights activists have sent a
letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs
Committee.
The letter strongly objects to the bill submitted to this
Committee by Congressman Brad Sherman, demanding the release of
Ruben Vardanyan and other war criminals and the maintenance of
Amendment 907.
“The individuals whose unconditional release is being demanded
have already been found guilty by Azerbaijani Court. Final verdicts
have been issued in their cases concerning war crimes, terrorism,
ethnic cleansing, and other grave violations of international
law.
They played a direct role in acts that caused immense human
suffering to the Azerbaijani people, displaced hundreds of
thousands of people, and resulted in the destruction of cities,
civilian infrastructure, and cultural heritage, as well as acts of
genocide, ecocide, urbicide, and culturecide,” the letter
outlines.
The letter also notes that the proceedings were conducted
openly, with the defendants provided access to legal representation
and afforded full opportunities to present their defense.
“At a time when Azerbaijan and Armenia are moving closer to
lasting peace and normalization, it is difficult to understand the
rationale behind initiatives that undermine this positive
momentum… While President Donald Trump and his Administration are
supporting dialogue and normalization between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, Representative Sherman’s initiative runs counter to these
efforts and risks hindering progress. There can be no peace without
justice, nor reconciliation without accountability,” the NGO
representatives concluded.
