UN Court to Hold Hearing in Armenia v. Azerbaijan Case in Mid-October

THE HAGUE (Armradio) — The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will hold public hearings in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Armenia v. Azerbaijan) on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 October 2021, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court.

The hearings will be devoted to the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by the Republic of Armenia.

In view of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the hearings will be held in a hybrid format. Some Members of the Court will attend the oral proceedings in person in the Great Hall of Justice, while others will participate remotely by video link. Representatives of the Parties to the case will participate either in person or by video link.

Members of the diplomatic corps, the media and the public will be able to follow the hearings through a live webcast on the Court’s website, as well as on UN Web TV, the United Nations online television channel.

On Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 October 2021, the Court will hold public hearings in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Azerbaijan v. Armenia).

On September 16 the Republic of Armenia instituted proceedings against the Republic of Azerbaijan before the International Court of Justice with regard to alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

The Applicant contends that “for decades, Azerbaijan has subjected Armenians to racial discrimination” and that, “as a result of this State-sponsored policy of Armenian hatred, Armenians have been subjected to systemic discrimination, mass killings, torture and other abuse”.

Azerbaijan has filed a similar suit against Armenia, accusing the latter of racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing.