At the invitation of the Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the US House of Representatives Congressman Chris Smith, Dr. David Grigorian and Ambassador Ara Papian submitted a joint written testimony to Commission’s hearing on the “Human Rights in Azerbaijan Since the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh” held on September 19, 2024.

The testimony, titled “International Community’s Responsibility for Establishing Justice and Peace in Nagorno-Karabakh”, argues that the international community has a moral responsibility to uphold justice (in the form of securing the right of return of Artsakh residents under a credible international protection) and international law (by initiating proceedings of the UN’s International Court of Justice on the final status of Artsakh).

The testimony also highlights the Woodrow Wilson’s Arbitral Award and states that the Soviet administrative borders cannot be considered the legal basis for the international borders between the present-day Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijani Republic. Lastly, the testimony mentions Prime Minister Pashinyan’s inaction as one of the factors responsible for the tragic outcome of the 2020-23 events in Artsakh and describes his leadership as “hapless”.

This groundbreaking testimony is the first formal case of properly presenting Armenia’s legal rights on Artsakh in the United States Congress. It is also unique in its criticism of Pashinyan and of his role in the loss of Artsakh. The testimony is officially listed on the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission website, which can be viewed here: