Gegham Stepanyan: People Were Dying of Starvation in Artsakh While the World Only Sent Statements. VIDEO

“Unfortunately, we did not experience a “Greta Effect” in the protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh,” stated Gegham Stepanyan, Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender during a panel discussion on the impacts of Azerbaijani aggression on human rights and environmental protection,  voicing his disappointment over the international community’s insufficient response to the plight of the Artsakh people.  His remarks highlighted the absence of robust global advocacy similar to that seen in environmental movements, particularly those inspired by activist Greta Thunberg, which have mobilized widespread public concern and action.

The conference, titled “The Impact of Azerbaijani Aggression on Human Rights and Environmental Protection,” was organized in response to a controversial United Nations decision. The UN’s selection of Azerbaijan as the host of COP29, the upcoming climate summit, sparked concerns among human rights and environmental groups, who pointed to Azerbaijan’s track record of authoritarian policies, environmental harm, and documented hostility towards ethnic Armenians.

Stepanyan drew attention to the enduring consequences of Azerbaijan’s military and political actions against Artsakh, including forced displacement, prolonged blockades, and a policy of ethnic cleansing targeting Artsakh’s Armenian population. “Looking back, I’m astonished by what people had to endure,” Stepanyan said, referencing the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War and subsequent blockade. “Meanwhile, the world responded with empty, meaningless statements.”

The blockade, he argued, represents a continuation of Azerbaijan’s broader strategy aimed at systematically isolating and oppressing the Armenian population in the region. According to Stepanyan, these actions amount to ethnic cleansing, a view echoed by several human rights observers.

“The Impact of Azerbaijan’s Aggression on Human Rights and Environmental Protection” conference is being held in Yerevan, organized independently as a side event to COP29. The special guest is Ms. Greta Thunberg, an environmental activist, who has chosen to boycott COP29 in Baku and arrived in Armenia following recent protests outside Azerbaijan’s embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia.