Azerbaijani President: Armenia's actions constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity

"The occupation of 20% of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia for about 30 years has been accompanied by war crimes and crimes against humanity," President Ilham Aliyev said as he spoke to the participants of the first meeting of the Prosecutors General of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States in Baku, Report informs.

"A policy of ethnic cleansing has been pursued in those areas, and more than 1 million of our compatriots have become refugees and internally displaced persons. Armenia committed the Khojaly genocide, brutally killing 613 innocent civilians. As a result of the First Karabakh War, about 4,000 of our citizens went missing. Armenia completely destroyed all our villages and cities during the occupation and vandalized our historical, cultural, and religious monuments.

"Armenia conducted ecocide in our occupied territories, destroyed 60,000 hectares of the forests, polluted and poisoned the lands and rivers. Gold deposits and other natural deposits have been exploited illegally with the participation of foreign companies. Our occupied territories were widely used for drug production and trafficking, training of international terrorists. Armenia has also pursued a policy of illegal settlement in these areas.

"During the Second Karabakh War, the Armenian army targeted the civilian population with banned weapons.

"Due to these war crimes, more than 100 civilians, including 11 children, were killed, and more than 450 people were injured. Armenia also used mercenaries and foreign fighters against Azerbaijan. After the war, more than 150 of our citizens were killed and wounded by landmines planted by Armenia.

"All these actions of Armenia constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. As a result of the 44-day Patriotic War, Azerbaijan itself restored territorial integrity by implementing the resolutions of the UN Security Council, the norms and principles of international law.

"At present, a new reality has emerged in the region. The opening of the Zangazur corridor will make a significant contribution to the development of regional cooperation. I believe that the establishment of the Prosecutor General's Council of the Turkic Council member states at today's meeting will give impetus to the reliable protection of human rights and freedoms in our region, unite our efforts in combating all forms of crime and ensure more effective cooperation," the address reads.