The decades-long, planned and purposeful policy of occupation, genocide and ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis did not consist of events that could be assessed legally only in the context of an armed conflict. This policy was characterized by the deliberate targeting of the civilian population, mass killings, systematic destruction of settlements, forced displacement of people and systematic and persistent violations of fundamental human rights. These acts were carried out in violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, human rights law and the law of armed conflict and entailed grave legal consequences in terms of international criminal law.
The Khojaly genocide occupies a special place as one of the most horrific and legally grave examples of this policy. The facts of the deliberate targeting of the civilian population on the basis of their ethnicity, mass killings, torture and inhuman treatment indicate that these events were not random military episodes, but a criminal act planned in advance and centrally controlled. From the point of view of legal analysis, the Khojaly events reveal the essence of the crimes committed against Azerbaijanis with all their components and prove that these acts were systematic in nature.
These events were neither spontaneous nor local in nature. On the contrary, they were carried out as part of a long-term, consistently prepared, targeted and coordinated activity. The geographical scale of the crimes, the similarity and continuity of the implementation mechanisms confirm from a legal point of view that this policy was carried out not by random individuals, but within the framework of certain organizational structures.
Against the background of the current reality, the Azerbaijani state has restored its sovereign rights, put an end to the occupation, liberated its territories and taken consistent and principled steps towards the legal assessment of serious crimes that had remained unpunished for many years. This stage is of particular importance from a legal point of view, because for the first time, individuals who had operated with de facto impunity for decades have been brought to criminal responsibility. Key figures who participated in the planning and implementation of the policy of occupation and genocide have been detained and brought to trial within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
From a legal point of view, this process can be assessed as the activation of the mechanism for the restoration of justice. The events that occurred were removed from the realm of political rhetoric and diplomatic disputes and began to be assessed on the basis of legal norms, evidence, and procedures. The court proceedings were based on factual materials, a thorough examination of evidence, and legal qualifications.
Judgment on the main figures of the occupation policy
