Appeal of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the international community regarding the 30th anniversary of the Bashlibel Massacre

Today, 30 years have passed since the massacre carried out in Bashlibel village of Kalbajar district in April 1993 as a continuation of the genocide pursued by Armenia based on intense hatred policy against Azerbaijan throughout history.

As a result of this bloody genocide against mankind, the residents of the village, including children, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly, were subjected to various severe tortures and slaughtered, some were even burned alive. In addition, some people were taken hostage in the village, and to date, there is no information about the fate of those people who are still missing.

However, the entire infrastructure of Bashlibel, one of the oldest and largest villages of Kalbajar district, including its historical, cultural, and religious objects, was completely destroyed during the occupation period.

After discovering the location of 62 civilians who had to take shelter in a cave to save their lives during the occupation of Bashlibel village, they were subjected to an armed attack by Armenia and became victims of the crime of genocide.

After the liberation of Kalbajar district from occupation, the burial place of those people who were mercilessly killed by the Armenian armed forces, was found and their remains were exhumed, afterward, their identities were determined and they were buried separately.

It is regrettable that numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity to which peaceful Azerbaijanis were subjected by Armenia, and acts of vandalism against the historical and cultural heritage of our nation have not yet received a legal assessment at the international level.

We once again appeal to the world community and demand that decisive steps be taken immediately to bring the Armenian side, which is responsible for gross violation of fundamental human rights by committing numerous criminal acts against peaceful Azerbaijanis, including the Bashlibel massacre, to international legal responsibility.

Sabina Aliyeva

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman)

of the Republic of Azerbaijan

18 April 2023

The Appeal has been submitted to the heads of the UN Secretary-General, UN Security Council, UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Office of High Commissioner for Refugees, UN Human Rights Council, UNICEF, UNESCO, European Union, Council of Europe, OSCE, International and European Ombudsman Institutions, Asian Ombudsman Association, Association of Ombudsmen and National Human Rights Institutions of Turkic States, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Ombudsman Association of its member states, Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, European Network of Ombudspersons for Children, International Peace Bureau, ombudsmen and national human rights institutions of different countries, embassies of the Republic of Azerbaijan in foreign countries and the foreign embassies in Azerbaijan,  the Azerbaijani Diasporas, as well as to various religious communities and confessions.