Conference on Baku’s ‘Greenwashing and Ethnic Cleansing’ Held in European Parliament

A conference emphasizing and warning that Baku will use the COP29 Climate Summit to “greenwash” its ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and other abhorrent human rights practices was held on Tuesday at the European Parliament.

The conference titled, “COP29 in Baku: Greenwashing and Ethnic Cleansing?” was organized and hosted by Loucas Fourlas, a European Parliament member from Cyprus and the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy.

Keynote speakers included Simon Papuashvili, Program Director of the Eastern Europe & South Caucasus at IPHR; Catalina de la Sota, international lawyer, member of the Paris Bar; Siranush Sargsyan, internationally published journalist from Nagorno Karabakh and eyewitness; and David Vardanyan, the son of former state minister of Nagorno Karabakh, Ruben Vardanyan, famous philanthropist and former Nagorno-Karabakh official who is currently unlawfully detained in Baku.

President of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD), Kaspar Karampetian said it is unacceptable for a reputed and major event like COP29 to be held in Azerbaijan, “an authoritarian country which has one of the poorest human rights track records in the world.”

He added that the conference and other similar initiatives contribute to growing international pressure to achieve the release of the unlawfully detained Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan.

Fourlas emphasized the importance to “stand by the Armenian people.” He said that events like the “COP29 in Baku: Greenwashing an ethnic cleansing?” conference and other initiatives must ensure that human rights violations are not covered up by environmental debates.

Armenia’s Ambassador to the European Union Tigran Balayan stressed that now it is time for the European Commission to transform the resolutions of the European Parliament into concrete actions. The European Parliament recently called on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian detainees.

Balayan also emphasized that the release of the prisoners is a priority for the Armenian government.

Davit Vardanyan expressed his gratitude for all the efforts and initiatives aimed at achieving the release of all the unlawfully detained Armenians in Azerbaijan. He stressed that his father, Ruben’s, activities have always been aimed at creating dialogue.

Davit Vardanyan said his father moved to Nagorno-Karabakh well realizing all possible scenarios, but nevertheless he preferred to stand by his compatriots.

The conference comes a day after 52 members of the European Parliament urged President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and European Commission leaders to ensure the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages currently being held in Baku.