Ombudsman received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Mexican States to Azerbaijan

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ms. Sabina Aliyeva held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Mexican States to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Rodrigo Labardini.

During the meeting that was aimed at acquaintance, the Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva hailed the mutual relations of friendship and cooperation between Mexico and Azerbaijan which rapidly develop. Ms. Aliyeva briefed the Ambassador about the participation of the representative of Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission in the international conferences organized by the Ombudsman Institution of Azerbaijan.

The Commissioner gave information about the mass human rights violations caused by the policy of occupation and military aggression pursued by Armenia against Azerbaijan. She noted that Armenia, in violation of the international law, kept the territories of Azerbaijan under occupation, carried out an ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijanis at different times. It was added that during 44 days of Patriotic war the Armenian armed forces intensively fired at the civilian settlements of Azerbaijan with the use of internationally banned weapons that resulted in killing and injuring numerous civilians, including children, women, and persons with disabilities.

Ms. Sabina Aliyeva also mentioned that Armenia disregarded the international law norms by long term occupation of  Nagorno Karabakh and seven surrounding districts, as well as caused severe damage to the environment, flora and fauna of Azerbaijan, as such setting fire to forests, cutting down and plundering rare trees, contamination of rivers flowing through the country with chemical plant waste, using prohibited phosphorus weapons in Shusha forests and other acts of eco-terrorism. The Ombudsman broadly informed the guest on the destructive effect on religious-cultural monuments as a result of firing by Armenian armed forces without making a distinction between civilian and military objects.

The Commissioner also stressed that during those 44 days of war she has addressed the international community to raise awareness on details about just cause of Azerbaijan, war crimes committed by Armenia, as well as sent reports based on the facts collected during fact-finding missions conducted in the conflict-affected areas affected. The Ombudsman also recalled the appeals on different topics, including treatment of captives and hostages, recruitment of mercenaries, environmental terrorism and other human rights-related issues which were addressed to the relevant international organizations.

Mr. Ambassador Labardini thanked for the warm welcome and noted the high-level friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Mexico. Mr.Labardini expressed his regret over the military attacks targeting civilian persons and objects and the support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The Commissioner also thanked for the interesting discussions and mentioned the importance of further enhancing the cooperation between the Ombudsman institutions of both countries for effective human rights protection.

The parties also discussed several other issues in the meeting.