The right to a healthy environment and normal life is intentionally and continuously violated by Armenia, a member of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, MP Rafael Huseynov, said on Sept. 30, making a speech during discussion on Portuguese MP Jose Mendes Bota’s report “Drafting an additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights concerning the right to a healthy environment” within the autumn session of the organization.
As the healthy environment is directly linked to human life, Huseynov said, of course, it can not be considered only as an environmental problem. This is also a political issue and should be studied along with human rights.
“Over the past nine years, Azerbaijan’s active participation in the Council of Europe’s activities related to environmental issues proceeds from the above-mentioned factors. Facing with the occupation of its territories, Azerbaijan has repeatedly said that Armenia inflicts damages to the ecology of the country. If the military annexation and its destruction take place within a short period, the ecological war has longer-term consequences that bring even greater tragedy,” said MP.
Noting that Azerbaijan has repeatedly raised in PACE the issue of Armenia’s cultivation of narcotic substances on the occupied and internationally uncontrolled territories of Azerbaijan, dumping radioactive substances in land, as well as pollution of rivers with poisonous chemicals and radioactive substances, Huseynov said that the fires committed by the Armenian side also take a systematic character.
“Over recent years, the fires committed by the Armenian side on the occupied territories and in border areas have been taking a systematic character. Along with damages to the environment, these lead to the fact that people living near those areas are under constant stress and fear. Another significant blow inflicted by the Armenian occupation is that nothing is grown on these territories. Returning these lands back to normal condition will take long years,” said Huseynov.
“To live and live healthy is the highest human right. Insidious attitude towards nature is worse than the violence through the fire. The destruction of nature jeopardizes not only the present but also for the future humankind. Thus, Azerbaijani population’s right for normal living is intentionally and continuously violated by Armenia,” said the MP.
“Azerbaijan, which faced similar problems, appreciates the additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights, recognising the right to a healthy and viable environment, but only provided that the protocol must be applicable to all, mainly a disorganized country like Armenia,” said the MP.
There is not only damage to the ecology of Azerbaijan by Armenia, but also a violation of ecological balance within the country, which jeopardizes the people of Armenia as well. For several years, the Armenian authorities have been infringing upon the right of the green movement in Armenia. We hope that the requirements of the protocol will also act in those countries that do not recognize the laws,” said the member of the Azerbaijani delegation.
“We want to believe that the protocol adopted will make a positive contribution to solving the problem and Europe will become a place where human right to a healthy existence will be ensured at the highest level,” said Rafael Huseynov.
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