The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), an independent expert body under the Council of Europe, has reported that South Caucasus countries, including Armenia, have made limited progress in fulfilling recommendations issued in 2023.
ECRI concluded that Armenia has not implemented its core recommendation related to refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, reports Factor.am . That recommendation prioritized adopting a comprehensive integration strategy with adequate funding and capacity-building to provide effective support to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants.
Armenian authorities told ECRI that several measures had been taken in response to the massive displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians following Azerbaijan’s aggression in the region on September 19–20, 2023.
While ECRI acknowledged the challenges Armenia faces and commended the rapid provision of financial assistance, improved access to social services and healthcare, and support for displaced children’s education, it concluded that the recommendation remains unfulfilled in the current situation.
Authorities have also partially fulfilled another key recommendation concerning public awareness campaigns to promote diversity and tolerance.
The Council of Europe also noted that Azerbaijan has failed to collect data on queerphobic hate incidents, and that Georgia has not created an interagency committee involving civil society and state representatives.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, subjecting the region to intense shelling. A day later, on September 20, the Artsakh authorities accepted a ceasefire proposal by Russian peacekeepers under terms dictated by Baku, which included the disarmament of the Defense Army and dissolution of the Artsakh Republic. From September 24, a mass forced displacement began, with over 100,000 people fleeing to Armenia. According to some sources, only about 20 Armenians remained in the region. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh, to take effect on January 1, 2024. On October 19, however, a second decree was issued declaring as invalid the information about the dissolution.
