On June 2, a two-day meeting on “Tolerance and Non-Discrimination” organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE Finnish Chairmanship began in Vienna, the capital of Austria.
Ambassadors, diplomats, and official representatives from 57 countries attended the event, where the protection of civil society, the work of human rights defenders, the safeguarding of freedom of peaceful assembly, and existing challenges in these areas across the OSCE region were discussed.
At the meeting, the head of the Azerbaijan Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and human rights defender, Dr. Ahmad Shahidov, took part in a panel discussion and strongly protested against the provocative and revanchist speeches made by Armenian representatives against Azerbaijan.
In his remarks, Dr. Ahmad Shahidov stated that a coordinated attack against Azerbaijan was being carried out by the Armenian representatives participating in the event. “As a representative of a country that was under occupation for 30 years, I strongly condemn these revanchist and hate-filled narratives,” he emphasized.
Dr. Ahmad Shahidov recalled once again the severe tragedies Azerbaijan faced during the period of Armenian occupation. He spoke about the Khojaly Genocide, the Baghanis Ayrim Massacre, the Agdaban Tragedy, as well as the destruction of mosques in Karabakh and the ongoing threat posed to civilians by the hundreds of thousands of landmines planted by Armenia in the region.
Despite all these tragic events, Dr. Ahmad Shahidov stressed that Azerbaijan remains committed to peace. He underlined the importance of normalizing relations with Armenia and signing a peace agreement for long-term peace and stability in the region.
“Today as well, we extend a hand of peace and reconciliation to Armenia. Let us strive to create an environment of good neighborliness and mutual respect, not hatred and hostility. Wars have never benefited anyone; only through dialogue and cooperation can we build a stable and secure future for our region,” he said.
