U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced a comprehensive bipartisan Senate resolution today condemning Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), reports Zartonk Media, citing the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The resolution calls for targeted sanctions against President Ilham Aliyev’s regime, demands the immediate release of illegally held Armenian prisoners, seeks a prohibition on U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, and affirms the right of return for Artsakh’s displaced population with strong security protections.
“We welcome today’s introduction of this Senate Resolution by Senators Peters and Cassidy as yet another marker of growing bipartisan Congressional support for Artsakh’s rights. By strongly condemning Azerbaijan’s brutal actions and calling for decisive international measures, this resolution reaffirms our American commitment to Artsakh’s rights ” putting in place a robust framework for accountability and justice,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
Resolution co-author Senator Cassidy emphasized, “Azerbaijan is holding Europe hostage because of their energy, but Louisiana has enough energy to meet Europe’s needs. The world cannot enable a dictator.”
Key Provisions of the Peters-Cassidy Resolution
The resolution outlines several critical measures aimed at holding Azerbaijan accountable and supporting the rights and security of Artsakh’s Armenian population. These include:
- Recognition of Ethnic Cleansing: Condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the atrocities perpetrated by the Government of Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Artsakh. It recognizes both the blockade and Azerbaijan’s subsequent military offensive as acts of ethnic cleansing.
- Targeted Sanctions: Calls for targeted sanctions against Azerbaijani officials complicit in human rights abuses against the Artsakh Armenian population.
- Security Assurances for Artsakh Returnees: Advocates for “strong protections” to ensure the safety and security of Armenians returning to their ancestral lands, deterring further aggression.
- Robust Humanitarian Assistance: Calls for “robust” humanitarian assistance to respond to the refugee crisis in Armenia caused by Azerbaijan’s forced depopulation of over 100,000 Artsakh Armenians. It also urges the Administration to coordinate international aid efforts.
- Enforcement of Section 907: Seeks to prohibit U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan pursuant to Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act (Public Law 102″511; 22 U.S.C. 5812 note).
- Armenia Security Assistance: Calls for strengthening the U.S.-Armenia security partnership as Armenia bolsters its ties with Western allies.
- Diplomatic Initiatives for Lasting Peace: Urges active U.S. diplomacy in the South Caucasus to facilitate “a just and lasting peace,” along with the “release of all Armenians unjustly imprisoned by Azerbaijan.” It also calls for establishing a right of return and security guarantees for displaced Armenians from Artsakh, and for preserving Armenian cultural heritage in the region.
Focus on Imprisoned Armenian Leaders
The resolution specifically cites the plight of imprisoned Artsakh leaders, including Davit Manukyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and Ruben Vardanyan. It calls for these individuals to be “afforded due process in accordance with the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” to which Azerbaijan is a party.
The measure also highlights Azerbaijan’s documented record of subjecting Armenian prisoners to “torture, humiliation, and other violations of fundamental rights” as defined by the Geneva Conventions.
International Legal Consensus
The resolution notes that international legal experts, including former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno Ocampo and former United Nations genocide expert Juan Mendez, have determined that Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh violated the United Nations Genocide Convention.
The resolution also highlights that the International Court of Justice issued a binding provisional measure in November 2023, requiring Azerbaijan to allow the safe, unimpeded, and expeditious return of Armenian refugees who wish to return to their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Building on Previous Congressional Efforts
The Peters-Cassidy resolution builds on a similar bipartisan resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.1327), introduced by Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), which has garnered over 25 cosponsors. The Senate resolution amplifies this effort, seeking stronger accountability measures and heightened attention to the ongoing crisis in Artsakh.
The full text of the Peters-Cassidy resolution is available in PDF form here.
