Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Non-governmental organisations from across the OSCE region strongly condemn the re-emergence of violence in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict context and call upon all parties to end hostilities and engage in meaningful conflict resolution and transformation.

We, member organisations of the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), an OSCE-wide NGO network, strongly condemn the re-emergence of violence in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict context and call upon all parties to immediately cease hostilities and prevent further loss of lives as well as human suffering and economic and environmental damage. We also recall the importance of respect for International Humanitarian Law and request to resume and strengthen the OSCE’s existing monitoring capacities on the ground by, for example, sending additional independent international monitors to the conflict-affected areas.

We urge all parties to use all available channels of communication and re-engage in meaningful negotiations and dialogue, in particular through the existing good offices of the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation and the United States, as well as with the support of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the Conflict Dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

At the same time, we invite the OSCE and its participating States to evaluate the conflict management, resolution and transformation efforts of the past decades of this ‘protracted conflict’, and to adjust and/ or expand current formats, mandates as well as practices where necessary, to allow for more meaningful, inclusive, participatory and sustainable outcomes, both short- and long-term, leading from ‘negative’ to ‘positive’ peace.

We call on all parties to stop the military action and refrain from targeting civilians on all sides of the conflict. There can be no justification for indiscriminate shelling of the residential and humanitarian building like hospitals, schools and residential buildings.

We also call on all the outside parties of the ongoing conflict to refrain from militaristic rhetoric fueling the further violence. Any involvement of third parties should be in harmony with efforts of international community to establish peace and return to table of negotiations.

We, member organisations of the Civic Solidarity Platform, stand ready to support the OSCE and the international community in these efforts.

List of organisations supporting the statement:

1. Association of Ukrainian Human Rights Monitors on Law Enforcement
2. Austrian Helsinki Association for Human Rights and International Dialogue
3. Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine
4. Center for Participation and Development, Georgia
5. Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, Russia
6. Citizens’ Watch, Russia
7. DRA – German-Russian Exchange, Germany
8. Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights "Women of the Don", Russia
9. Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
10. Human Rights Center “Memorial”, Russia
11. Human Rights Center ZMINA, Ukraine
12. Human Rights Center, Georgia
13. Human Rights House Foundation, Switzerland 
14. Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Lithuania
15. IDP Women Association “Consent”, Georgia
16. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law
17. Legal Policy Research Centre, Kazakhstan
18. Netherlands Helsinki Committee
19. Norwegian Helsinki Committee
20. OMCT, international
21. Public Association “Dignity”, Kazakhstan
22. Public Association “Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan”
23. Public Verdict Foundation, Russia
24. Social Action Centre, Ukraine
25. SOVA Center for Information and Analysis, Russia
26. Swedish OSCE-network
27. Swiss Helsinki Committee, Switzerland
28. The Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims
29. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom/WILPF, Germany

civicsolidarity.org