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441-00580 (Foreign affairs)

Paper petition

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the House of Commons

We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:

Whereas, Following Azerbaijan's 44-day war against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorono-Karabakh), a trilateral ceasefire agreement was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia - outside of the purview of the OSCE Minsk Group - ceasing all hostilities on the territory of the Republic of Artsakh.

Whereas, while failing to address many challenges facing the region, the agreement specifically included a term relating to the return of prisoners of war and the exchange of the remains of fatalities.

Whereas, despite such provisions, as many as 200 Armenian Prisoners of War (POW) illegally remain in Azerbaijani custody, without any transparent mechanisms in place to ensure their safe return.

Whereas, since December 2020, Human Rights Watch has published two reports on the status of Armenian POW’s, confirming that they are being subjected to inhuman treatment, torture, humiliation, and other forms of abuse.

Whereas, on February 1st, 2021, The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement, calling for the immediate release of POW’s.

Whereas, on May 4, 2021, disturbing reports confirmed that close to 20 POW’s were mutilated and killed by Azerbaijani forces. This is a violation of international law by Azerbaijan, specifically as it relates to the provisions laid out in the Third Geneva Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), all of which are signed by Azerbaijan.

We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Condemn Azerbaijan's illegal detention of Armenian POW’s and call for their immediate release;

2. Use all the diplomatic tools available to advocate for the release of those held captive;

3. Condemn the ongoing state-sponsored anti-Armenian hatred in Azerbaijan;

4. Denounce all aggressive rhetoric from Turkey and Azerbaijan against Armenia and Artsakh;

5. Provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to ensure the safety and viability of the population of Artsakh and facilitate the exchange of the remains of fatalities.

Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder Sidhu

Canada is concerned about the recent escalation of violence and calls on all parties to continue to engage one another in meaningful dialogue. Canada welcomes the May leader-level meeting in Brussels. Such meetings are an important step toward ensuring greater regional stability. Canada supports all UN Security Council Resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh and the efforts of the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Canada promotes the principles of the non-use of force, territorial integrity, and self-determination in resolving the conflict through a negotiated political solution, as well as the continuation of dialogue between the parties towards promoting confidence-building measures. Armenia and Azerbaijan, and all external parties, must continue working together to build mutual confidence at this very sensitive time.

Canada continues to monitor the situation related to the Armenian Prisoners of War (POWs) and other detainees, and is aware of the difficulties in securing their release. Canada has welcomed the release of detainees by Azerbaijan since May 2021, as well as the sharing of landmine maps by Armenia. Through both bilateral and multilateral channels, Canada continues to call for the release of all detainees as a key step in the confidence-building process. The release of POWs and detainees remains one of Canada’s priorities, and Canada will continue to raise its concerns whenever the opportunity arises.

Canada remains deeply concerned about the allegations of human rights violations facing Armenian POWs and detainees, and calls on the respective governments to fully abide by the simultaneous orders issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for provisional measures against both Armenia and Azerbaijan, including to take all necessary measures to prevent the incitement and promotion of racial hatred, including by officials and public institutions, and to protect persons captured by Azerbaijan during the conflict from bodily harm. Canada continues to call on respective governments to investigate human rights allegations diligently in compliance with international human rights law.

Canada maintains regular dialogue with the Government of Armenia and the Government of Azerbaijan. Canada has provided an additional $1 million in humanitarian funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2021.

Canada will continue to remain engaged and supportive of sustainable peace and security and will continue to assist with humanitarian efforts.

Presented to the House of Commons
Arnold Viersen (Peace River—Westlock)
June 14, 2022 (Petition No. 441-00580)
Government response tabled
September 20, 2022
Photo - Arnold Viersen
Peace River—Westlock
Conservative Caucus
Alberta

Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.