BAKU, AZERBAIJAN: The International Court of Justice will conduct public hearings on the preliminary objections raised by Azerbaijan against Armenia on Monday, as stated by the Spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, Aykhan Hajizada, local media reported.
According to media reports, Hajizada announced on his X page, “Today, the ICJ will hold public hearings on the preliminary objections raised by Azerbaijan in the case concerning the Application of the CERD (Armenia v. Azerbaijan).”
Hajizada highlighted that the Azerbaijani delegation will be headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov.
This marks another critical juncture in the ongoing legal dispute between the two nations. The timeline of events leading up to this point underscores the complexity and gravity of the issues at hand, including allegations of racial discrimination, ethnic cleansing, hate speech, and violations of international conventions.
From Armenia’s initial accusations of racial discrimination under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to Azerbaijan’s counterclaims of ethnic cleansing and hate speech, the legal battle has been fraught with tensions and accusations from both sides.
The ICJ has issued provisional measures and emergency orders in an attempt to mitigate the situation and prevent further escalation of hostilities.
Key moments, such as Azerbaijan’s lightning takeover of Karabakh and the subsequent exodus of ethnic Armenians, have intensified the legal proceedings, with Armenia seeking emergency measures to safeguard the rights of displaced individuals and accusing Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing.
The upcoming hearings will provide an opportunity for both countries to present their objections to the court and further argue their cases. Given the complex history and deeply rooted animosities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the outcome of these hearings could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict and the pursuit of justice at the international level.
