The Armenian National Assembly unanimously adopted a statement recognizing and condemning the genocide against the Yezidi people in 2014 on terrorist-controlled territories of Iraq.
Armenia thus strongly condemns all expressions of terrorism and radical ideology, the targeted persecution and cruel attitude towards the Yezidi people on the above mentioned territories.
The statement emphasizes the responsibility of states to respect the rights of ethnic and religious minorities stipulated by international law.
It reiterates the commitment of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people to fight to prevent genocides and other crimes against humanity.
The Armenian Parliament also calls to investigate those crimes through international structures and hold the perpetrators accountable.
It urges the international community to take measures to ensure the security of the Yezidi population and provide them with humanitarian assistance, to spare no efforts to prevent human rights violations.
“Had the international community or the superpowers recognized the Armenian Genocide at the time, we would not witness genocides against Yezidis or other peoples,” MP Knyaz Hasanov said.
Lawmaker Shirak Torosyan considers Armenia should be among the authors of initiatives aimed at recognizing, condemning and preventing genocides.
According to MP Samvel Farmanyan, the statement is of historic importance. He said that “as a nation that has been subjected to genocide, we have to express our stance on the condemnation and prevention of that crime against humanity.”
