Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA) Stands in Solidarity with the Center for Truth and Justice on Mission to The Hague

Los Angeles, CA — April 18, 2024— The Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA) is on a collaborative mission with the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. CFTJ seeks accountability for the genocide committed by Azerbaijan against Armenians in Armenia, and AIWA is dedicated to ensuring the human rights violations and war crimes perpetrated against ethnic Armenian women by Azerbaijan do not go unnoticed or unpunished.

AIWA’s commitment to advocating against all forms of violence towards women and their relentless pursuit of human rights has been a cornerstone of the organization’s mission. Earlier this year, the AIWA Los Angeles affiliate organized a special liturgical observance and ecumenical prayer service on January 17th, 2024, drawing attention to Armenians held captive in Azerbaijan and advocating for their immediate release.

Now, AIWA is taking its advocacy to the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Speaking at Los Angeles International Airport before departure, Silva Katchiguian, president of AIWA, emphasized the significance of directing the world’s attention to critical issues, particularly concerning the dignity and rights of women brought to light by the CFTJ’s groundbreaking documentation of the crimes.

Katchiguian stated, “It is time for us to declare it in The Hague and for the world to acknowledge that discussing human rights separately from women’s rights is no longer acceptable. The documentation by CFTJ proves extreme gender-specific brutality toward ethnic Armenian women by Azeri soldiers. These heinous acts of violence continue because, for too long, the history of women has been a history of silence. But the women’s voices representing the injustices toward Armenia women must be heard loudly and clearly.”

She added, “Women’s rights are human and universal in times of war and peace. I urge the ambassadors to ensure accountability for conflict-related sexual violence.”

AIWA’s partnership with the Center for Truth and Justice underscores their commitment to ensuring accountability for torture, conflict-related sexual violence, and other human rights violations. The CFTJ, established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war, has been diligently collecting first-hand testimonies from the war survivors.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards seeking justice and accountability for the atrocities committed against Armenian women, including rape, savage mutilation, dehumanization, slaughter, and gender-specific discrimination and brutality. As Katchiguian stated, “Every new wave of warfare brings with it a rising tide of human tragedy, including new waves of war’s oldest, most silenced, and least-condemned crimes, crimes against women.”

Furthermore, Katchiguian emphasized, “Those of us who have the opportunity to be in The Hague have the responsibility to speak for those who could not. As an American and an Armenian, I want to speak for women in my ethnic homeland, Armenia.”

The Armenian International Women’s Association and the Center for Truth and Justice call upon the international community to recognize the importance of addressing conflict-related sexual violence and ensuring accountability for perpetrators.

Together, they strive to move from visibility to accountability, translating today’s documentation into tomorrow’s prosecutions.

About Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA):

The Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), established in 1991 in Boston, Massachusetts, is an international organization dedicated to advocating for women’s rights and promoting gender equality, regardless of their political, religious, or educational affiliations. AIWA empowers women and addresses violence, discrimination, and inequality through various initiatives and partnerships spanning education, advocacy, health, wellness, and entrepreneurship.

About the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ):

The Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, California. Established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war, CFTJ is committed to documenting human rights violations and war crimes against Armenians. CFTJ seeks justice for survivors and accountability for perpetrators through its fact-finding infrastructure and collection of first-hand testimonies.