Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan) - Fixing of time-limit for the filing by Armenia of a written statement of its observations

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928 Website Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Press Release Unofficial No. 2023/22 1 May 2023 Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan) Preliminary objections raised by Azerbaijan Fixing of time-limit for the filing by Armenia of a written statement of its observations and submissions THE HAGUE, 1 May 2023. By an Order dated 25 April 2023, the President of the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, has fixed the time-limit within which the Republic of Armenia may present a written statement of its observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised by the Republic of Azerbaijan in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan). In the Order, the President notes that on 21 April 2023, Azerbaijan raised preliminary objections to the jurisdiction of the Court, and that, in accordance with Article 79bis, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, the proceedings on the merits have therefore been suspended. The President has fixed 21 August 2023 as the time-limit within which Armenia may present a written statement of its observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised by Azerbaijan. The subsequent procedure has been reserved for further decision. History of the proceedings On 16 September 2021, Armenia filed an Application instituting proceedings against Azerbaijan with regard to alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The Applicant contends that “[f]or decades, Azerbaijan has subjected Armenians to racial discrimination” and that, “[a]s a result of this State-sponsored policy of Armenian hatred, Armenians have been subjected to systemic discrimination, mass killings, torture and other abuse”. According to Armenia, these violations are directed at individuals of Armenian ethnic or national origin regardless of their actual nationality. Armenia claims that “[t]hese practices once again came to the fore in September 2020, after Azerbaijan’s aggression against the Republic of Artsakh and Armenia” and that, “[d]uring that armed conflict, Azerbaijan committed grave violations of the CERD”. The Applicant alleges that “[e]ven after the end of hostilities”, - 2 - following a ceasefire which entered into effect on 10 November 2020, “Azerbaijan has continued to engage in the murder, torture and other abuse of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons”. In its Application, Armenia claims, inter alia, that Azerbaijan “is responsible for violating the CERD, including Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7”. Armenia further contends that “[a]ll good-faith efforts by Armenia to put an end to Azerbaijan’s violations of the CERD through other means hav[e] failed”. Armenia therefore requests the Court “to hold Azerbaijan responsible for its violations of the CERD, to prevent future harm, and to redress the harm that has already been caused”. As basis for the Court’s jurisdiction, Armenia invokes Article 36, paragraph 1, of the Statute of the Court and Article 22 of CERD, to which both States are parties. The Application also contained a Request for the indication of provisional measures. More information on the incidental proceedings relating to that Request and to a subsequent Request for the indication of provisional measures can be found in press releases Nos. 2021/20, 2021/34, 2022/40, 2022/55, 2022/76 and 2023/10. It is further recalled that, by an Order dated 21 January 2022, the Court fixed 23 January 2023 and 23 January 2024 as the respective time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by Armenia and a Counter-Memorial by Azerbaijan. The Memorial of Armenia was filed within the time-limit thus fixed. ___________ Note: The Court’s press releases are prepared by its Registry for information purposes only and do not constitute official documents. ___________ The full text of the Order is available on the Court’s website. Earlier press releases relating to this case are available on the Court’s website. ___________ The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system. ___________ - 3 - Information Department: Ms Monique Legerman, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department: +31 (0)70 302 2336 Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2337 Mr. Avo Sevag Garabet, Associate Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2394 Email: [email protected]