Protesters in Brussels denounce decision to hold COP 29 in Azerbaijan

On Sunday, November 10, just before COP29 in Baku, a demonstration in support for human rights, social justice and fight against climate change took place in Brussels, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) informs. The protest was organized by the grassroots nonpartisan citizen movement Rise for Climate Belgium: Citizen Mobilization to save Humanity.

It’s primary goal was to denounce the selection of Azerbaijan as host of the COP29 summit due to its abysmal record in human rights.

Protesters expressed dissatisfaction with the EU’s handling of the climate crisis, particularly its signing of the MERCOSUR agreement and the lack of support for victims of the Valencia floods.

In his speech, Aram Kevorkian, a member of the ARF Armenian Youth Federation of Belgium who also represented the EAFJD stated: “We are here today to express our collective indignation at the scandalous decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan. This choice represents a flagrant disregard for human rights and international law, and an abandonment of the principles of climate justice.”

“Azerbaijan, a country with a dismal human rights record, is not qualified to host a world climate conference. More than 150,000 Armenians who were violently displaced from Nagorno Karabakh have a fundamental right to return to the territory of their ancestors. This right to return must be exercised under international guarantees to ensure safe passage and resettlement in their thousand-year-old homeland,” he said.

“As stipulated by the European Parliament, Azerbaijan must genuinely engage in a comprehensive and effective dialogue with the forcibly displaced Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh in order to protect their rights, including property and land rights, their distinct identity and their cultural, religious and civil rights, during an interim period until a final peace agreement is reached between all parties,” Kevorkian stated.