More than one year passes from the final judgment on the case “Chiragov and others vs Armenia” made by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human rights which was filed by Azerbaijani IDPs from Nagorno-Karabakh (July 16, 2015).

The case covers the complaints by Azerbaijani refugees that they have been unable to return to their homes and properties in Lachin district, from where they were forced to flee in 1992 during the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The applicants complain that the loss of all control over and of all potential to use, sell, bequeath, mortgage, develop and enjoy their properties in Lachin amounts to a continuing violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) to the European Convention on Human Rights. They also complain that their inability to return to the district of Lachin constitutes a continuing violation of 2 Article 8 (right to respect for home and private and family life) of the Convention.

Furthermore, they complained that no effective remedies had been available to them in respect of their complaints, in breach of Article 13 (right to an effective remedy). Finally, they stated that they had been discriminated for their ethnic origin and religious affiliation, in violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination).

The Court ruled in favor of the applicants, recognizing continuing violations by Armenia of a number of their rights under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, namely, those relating to the protection of property (Article 1 of Protocol No. 1), the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8 of the Convention) and the right to an effective remedy (Article 13 of the Convention). Furthermore, the judgment effectively put an end to Armenia’s persistent denial of its responsibility for the unlawful occupation of and military presence in the territories of Azerbaijan.

`The lawmakers have sent the relevant documents on compensation to the European Court. Time given to Armenia has already finished. We are looking forward the final resolution of the court. Probably, an open court will be held. However, if the court held closed, our lawmakers will not be invited to court. We are waiting for the second part of the resolution`, Fakhraddin Pashayev, an IDP from Armenian-occupied Lachin region of Azerbaijan told AzVision.az.

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