Aram Orbelyan - Genocide & Consequences | Refugees | Legal Status | Artsakh Government in Exile | Ep 285 - Oct 13, 2023 [EP285]

Guest:

• Aram Orbelyan

Topics:

• Genocide & Consequences
• Legal Status of Former Artsakh Leadership
• Artsakh Government in Exile

Episode 285 | Recorded: October 11, 2023

Show Notes

Genocide & Consequences

By all accounts, what transpired in Artsakh at the end of September 2023 is a genocide, and in fact we Armenians would put this in the context of over 130 years of massacres and genocides and dispossessions of our people from our lands.

The founding and lead ICC prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, spoke on this issue, Genocide Watch spoke on it, and the Lemkin Institute flat out blamed the US of bothsidism and hypocrisy in not preventing the Genocide in Artsakh.

Question:

• What can be the legal consequences of these internationally important assertions?
• Can Armenia sue Azerbaijan, Turkey, the US, Russia, or the EU for reparations on this current disaster in Artsakh?
• What does having a legal case mean in a world where might makes right?

Legal Status of Former Artsakh Presidents

Armenia has tens or hundreds of POWs, depending on which reports one considers. Some of the most recent POWs are the former Artsakh leaders, and Azerbaijan has domestic charges against them, such as terrorism, etc.

There are reports that all former Artsakh presidents were together when they were arrested by Azerbaijan.

Questions:

• What internationally legal basis does Azerbaijan have for any domestic charges against the leaders of a state, even an unrecognized state, when this state was never de jure part of Azerbaijan?
• Should these leaders be treated as POWs? What difference would it make if they are?
• Most importantly, what can Armenia do to secure their safe return asap? Does the Armenian government have the political interest or will, to put forward the effort?

Legal Status of Artsakh Refugees

Question:

• What legal status should the Artsakhtsis have in Armenia?
  • IDP or refugee? What’s the difference?

Artsakh Government in Exile

On Sep. 28 Artsakh president Samvel Shahramanyan signed a letter of dissolution of the state and defense forces of the Republic of Artsakh.

Questions:

• Was Shahramanyan’s letter to dissolve Artsakh legal? Can a president or elected official even do this?

Currently Shahramanyan by all accounts is in Armenia. Most of the members of the parliament of Artsakh are in Armenia, while for example the speaker of the parliament Davit Ishkanyan, former state minister Ruben Vardanyan and others are in custody in Baku.

Question:

• Can a government in exile be formed with existing elected members and president?

Wrap-up

All right, that’s our show, we hope you found it useful. Please find us on Social Media and follow us everywhere you get your Armenian news, the links are in the show notes. Thanks to Laura Osborn for the music on our podcasts. We’ll talk to you soon!

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