Nearly 100 House and Senate lawmakers have come together to call for sanctions against military officials in Azerbaijan in response to the country’s takeover of a mountainous region that was home to tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians, many of whom are now fleeing the area. Led by Representative Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), the lawmakers penned a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging sanctions against Azerbaijani government individuals responsible for launching “military attacks against and [a] brutal blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh,” a disputed breakaway region.
In their letter, the lawmakers condemned these actions as a severe violation of human rights and the perpetration of violent conflict, which directly challenges American values and interests. They emphasized the need to hold those responsible for these human rights violations accountable.
Last week, in a swift and surprising advance, Azerbaijan forced the independent government of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, known as the Republic of Artsakh, to surrender. While the Republic of Artsakh was not internationally recognized, it had governed the region, home to 120,000 ethnic Armenians, for approximately three decades.
Azerbaijan has asserted that it will not harm ethnic Armenians, but Armenian government officials have issued warnings of potential ethnic cleansing, prompting tens of thousands to flee the region. The longstanding feud between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh, dating back nearly a century, erupted into a war in the 1990s, resulting in a ceasefire in 1994 that largely favored Armenia. However, Azerbaijan, under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, regained more territory in a brief conflict in 2020 and has now assumed full control following last week’s offensive. The Republic of Artsakh subsequently announced its dissolution.
The U.S. has dispatched an envoy to Armenia as part of efforts to halt hostilities and aid refugees fleeing the conflict.
The lawmakers’ letter expressed concern over Azerbaijan’s nine-month blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the sole route connecting Armenia to Karabakh, which deprived ethnic Armenians of movement and access to essential supplies. Additionally, the letter highlighted a recent explosion at a gas station that claimed the lives of at least 68 people, with 105 individuals still missing.
The lawmakers called on the United States, as a global leader in international human rights, to continue serving as a mediator and advocate for peace in the region. They urged the imposition of targeted sanctions on individuals within the Aliyev government responsible for or involved in human rights violations in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The ongoing conflict in Karabakh has drawn renewed attention to the challenges faced by Armenians, with notable figures such as Kim Kardashian and Cher calling for White House action against Azerbaijan. However, some Armenian supporters have criticized the U.S., accusing it of turning a blind eye to the Lachin Corridor blockade and supplying arms to Azerbaijan. The Armenian National Committee of America has asserted that the U.S. refused to acknowledge the blockade as a crisis when questioned by Congress.
In light of these developments, the situation has raised questions about the Biden administration’s approach to the conflict and its implications for the Armenian community and its cultural heritage.
Source: with agencies