ICRC: Anonymous sources cannot be considered as Committee's official position

Anonymous employee sources referring to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cannot be considered as the official ICRC position and should be taken with caution, Head of Public Relations of the ICRC Office in Azerbaijan Ilaha Huseynova told Report.

On August 29, 2024, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published an article by Rasmus Canback that contains serious allegations and accusations against Azerbaijan, including obstructing ICRC’s activities in the Karabakh region in reference to an anonymous ICRC employee.

"We take a considered stance when we engage with media as we are aware there could be profound impacts on our ability to carry out our work to meet the needs of people affected by conflict. We often work in complex circumstances involving many stakeholders’ agreements to meet humanitarian needs. For us, the diplomacy and coordination it takes to reach these people is done through bilateral dialogue with the concerned. We do not publicly share the contents of these meetings. Years of practice have shown us this is the most effective way to carry out our work," Huseynova noted.

"Anonymous employee sources referring to the ICRC, as it was in this case, cannot be considered as the official ICRC position and should be taken with caution. For an organization like us, whose work is founded on trust, respecting our mission is crucial to be able to implement humanitarian activities to support people in need," she added.