Azerbaijan files lawsuit against Armenia in The Hague arbitration court

Azerbaijan has filed a lawsuit against Armenia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague based on the 1979 Convention "On the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats" ("Bern Convention").

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan informed Baku.ws about this.

According to the statement, the lawsuit was filed on February 12 of this year. The document details numerous violations by Armenia of legal obligations under the "Bern Convention".

Azerbaijan's lawsuit against Armenia is the first known interstate arbitration process based on the Bern Convention, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.

"After the liberation of territories from occupation, Azerbaijan discovered horrifying facts of environmental destruction by Armenia. This country did not protect habitats and species in one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots. Armenia's actions caused irreversible serious damage to wildlife and species in the region," the statement says.

On January 18, 2023, Azerbaijan sent Armenia a notice of arbitration to initiate arbitration proceedings based on the indicated evidence. On September 15, 2023, the composition of the arbitration court was approved, and on April 12, 2024, the first procedural meeting between Azerbaijan and Armenia was held at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

Azerbaijan demands full compensation from Armenia for the massive destruction of habitats and wildlife, particularly actions that negatively affected hundreds of wildlife species and habitats in Azerbaijani territories that were under Armenian occupation, including large-scale deforestation, environmentally inefficient tree cutting, mining activities, and hydroelectric power plant construction.