BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 16. A group of Azerbaijani NGO leaders and human rights activists have sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.
The letter strongly objects to the bill submitted to this Committee by Congressman Brad Sherman, demanding the release of Ruben Vardanyan and other war criminals and the maintenance of Amendment 907.
"The individuals whose unconditional release is being demanded have already been found guilty by Azerbaijani Court. Final verdicts have been issued in their cases concerning war crimes, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, and other grave violations of international law.
They played a direct role in acts that caused immense human suffering to the Azerbaijani people, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and resulted in the destruction of cities, civilian infrastructure, and cultural heritage, as well as acts of genocide, ecocide, urbicide, and culturecide," the letter outlines.
The letter also notes that the proceedings were conducted openly, with the defendants provided access to legal representation and afforded full opportunities to present their defense.
"At a time when Azerbaijan and Armenia are moving closer to lasting peace and normalization, it is difficult to understand the rationale behind initiatives that undermine this positive momentum... While President Donald Trump and his Administration are supporting dialogue and normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Representative Sherman’s initiative runs counter to these efforts and risks hindering progress. There can be no peace without justice, nor reconciliation without accountability," the NGO representatives concluded.
