New open letter raises ethical flags on UN Mission to Nagorno-Karabakh

Keywords: Artsakh Nagorno-Karabakh; Lachin Corridor blockade; Armenians; conflict; humanitarian crisis; genocide; United Nations; UN; Forced displacement; Siege; Azerbaijan; Armenia

Photo posted on X by Armenian Artsakhi journalist Siranush Sargsyan on October 2, 2023 with the tweet:
“Were wars, explosions, and ethnic cleansing in the past 2 weeks not enough? Are we being made fun of by the intl community? By the UN? By the media now in #Stepanakert? They acted deaf when it was convenient, and now #Artsakh is empty of its Armenian population. Shame on them.”

BEIRUT, LEBANON — The Zovighian Partnership (ZP) Public Office published an open letter that flags concerns of ethical breaches, manipulated disclosure, and the lack of survivor-centricity of the United Nations (UN) mission that visited Nagorno-Karabakh on October 2. The statement was published on the website of the UN Azerbaijan after the mission completed its day trip. It was the first UN mission to Nagorno-Karabakh in 30 years.

Titled, “A flawed investigation, thirty years too late,” the open letter was authored by ZP Co-founder and Managing Director Lynn Zovighian and presents five key areas of concern:

1. The credibility of the mission is undermined by its governance and non-independence
2. The choice and spirit of the language used in the statement is harmful to the survivors who have lost their homeland
3. The research design for the investigation conducted by this mission is vague and not survivor-centered
4. The key findings of the mission are limited and fail to highlight the urgent and dire needs of the local Armenian people on the ground
5. Despite its purpose to identify the needs of the people, the findings focus on the efforts of the Azerbaijani government

No references were made to the needs of the ethnic Armenian people, both those who were uprooted from their homeland and those who have remained. There was also no mention of the military violence that was initiated by Azerbaijan on September 19.

Zovighian also wrote: “The statement offers no understanding as to how the mission, with only a few hours in a deserted city like Stepanakert / Khankendi, could find local Armenians who were able and open to speak freely and safely with investigators and interlocutors led by the UN Azerbaijan country team.” She also questioned the choice of focusing the few hours available fo the mission to Akna / Aghdam, an area not affected by the latest military escalation by Azerbaijan.

The open letter noted that of the six mentions that highlight the efforts of the Government of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, three commend the government.

The open letter stated that five of the sentences in the statement read similarly to statements published by the Office of the President of Azerbaijan and other government officials.

“The statement has triggered a trust crisis,” said Zovighian. She has called for an investigation into the non-independence and strong biases that favor Azerbaijan, and the harms this mission risks upon the historic Armenian people of Artsakh Nagorno-Karabakh.

Human rights activists and ethnic Armenians from Artsakh Nagorno-Karabakh shared their outrage towards the statement on social media.

“There has never been a more critical time and urgent need for a transparent, independent, and objective international response effort that can be trusted by all,” wrote Zovighian in reference to why she chose to publish an open letter and not limit her critiques to private meetings with UN stakeholders.

“I have sent a personal email in good faith to the Resident Coordinator at the UN Azerbaijan and the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General,” said Lynn Zovighian. “I hope we will be able to constructively look into a safer and more impactful fact-finding approach with the United Nations for future missions.”