Nation Building

Artsakh is a state committed to freedom, democracy, free market economy and respect of human rights. As stated in the Article I of NKR Constitution, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh, is a sovereign, democratic state based on social justice and the rule of law. The Constitution divided the power among three branches of government that function separately providing for check and balance, democratic governance and continued development.

Read more about nation building and statehood of the NKR:

Years of State Building: Progress Toward Freedom,
Democracy and Economic Development

© MFA NKR, June 2005
© NKR National Assembly, June 2005

This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia and the public representing the official policies and interests of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Contents:

1. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic: General Overview
2. Elections
3. Developing and Improving National Legislation
4. Self-Governing Bodies
5. Legal Guarantees of the Freedom of Speech
6. and Mass Media Activity
7. Freedom of Conscience and Rights of Ethnic Minorities
8. Ethnic Minorities
9. Information on Women Occupying High Positions in Central and Local Self-Government Bodies
10. The Legal System
11. Armed Forces and Legal Basis for Military Service
12. Economy
13. Social Situation
14. The Problem of Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People in the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Zone
15. Struggle Against Narcomania and Illegal Circulation of Drugs
16. Education
17. Past and Present of the Armenian Culture of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
18. Annex 1. List of Laws Adopted by the NKR National Assembly
19. Annex 2. Lists of Public, Public–Political Organizations and Mass Media
20. Annex 3. Data on Refugees, Displaced Persons and the Territories Occupied During Military Actions in Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC:
GENERAL OVERVIEW

1. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) was proclaimed on September 2, 1991, on the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (region) and Shahoumian Region. The decision reflected population’s will and was caused by the fact that (as it is noted in the proclamation) “the policy of national discrimination, led in Azerbaijan, the atmosphere of intolerance and hatred towards Armenians in the republic brought to armed clashes, human losses and forced mass deportation of the peaceful inhabitants of Armenian settlements”.

1.1. Violence carried out by Azerbaijan in 1989-91 against Nagorno-Karabakh indigenous Armenian population, was fixed by independent observers. The US Senate made a number of statements condemning these actions. The Russian Federation Supreme Soviet (parliament) organized special hearings, during which the questions of the Deputies were answered by a number of high-ranking officers of the USSR Ministries of Interior and Defense that had participated in the military actions, carried out against Getashen and Armenian villages of Shahoumian region. They did not deny the facts of participation of the Armed Forces and special detachments of Azerbaijani police.

1.2. The basis for proclamation of the NKR was in accordance with the April 3 1990 law “On issues related to secession procedures of the Union Republics from the USSR”. According to it, along with the union republics and autonomous entities, national groups, which densely populate particular areas, also had the right to define independently their future political and legal status.

1.3. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed when Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet issued a declaration on restoring its state independence on August 30, 1991, according to which, the Azerbaijani Republic proclaimed itself the successor of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic of 1918-1920. By doing so Azerbaijan refused the legal Soviet heritage thus loosing the right of controlling the Nagorno Karabakh territory.

2. The independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed on January 6, 1992. The results of the referendum held on December 10, 1992, became the basis of this act. 108.736 residents of the NKR with the right to vote, independent from nationality and religion, participated in the referendum. Ballot-papers were printed in three languages - Armenian, Azerbaijanian and Russian .

2.1. The referendum question was the following: “Do you agree with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic be an independent state, independently determining the forms of cooperation with other states and communities?”: /find attached the copies /:
    108.615 voters (99,9 % of the participants) answered “Yes”.
    24 voters (0,002 % of the participants) answered “No”.

2.2. The referendum was organized and held according to the “Temporary Regulations on Holding a Referendum” in the presence of foreign observers. Their opinions were duly formulated and are kept in the NKR central electoral commission /find attached the copy /.

3.After the proclamation the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic started to form government structures. The problems of state building were being solved in the conditions of continuing military actions. Elections to the NKR Supreme Soviet of the first convocation were held on December 28,1991, in accordance with the temporary regulations “On Election of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic People’s Deputies”. 81 electoral districts were formed encompassing also all Azerbaijani settlements.
    
The elections were held on the basis of universal, equal suffrage and a secret ballot.

As a result the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Supreme Council of first convocation was formed, the first session of which was opened on January 6, 1992.
    
The session chose the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (Mr.Arthur Mkrtchian), Vice-Chairman (Mr. Georgi Petrossian) and formed presidency.

The session also formed first government /the Cabinet of Ministers with Oleg Yessayan as a premier/ of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

3.1. Since the very beginning of its existence the NKR legislative body has been following the way of joining different international conventions and proclamations, aiming to the creation of free, legal and democratic state. The NKR Supreme Soviet Chairmanship (on November 26, 1992) and the NKR Supreme Soviet (on November 23, 1994) adopted resolutions on joining the NKR to the Declaration “On Granting Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples”, “Universal Declaration on Human Rights”, “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights” and their facultative protocols.

3.2.The NKR Supreme Soviet Chairmanship (on January 26, 1993) and the NKR Supreme Soviet (on November 23, 1994) adopted a resolution “On Adopting The Accomplishment of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and “The Additional Protocols to the Conventions of 1977”. According to them, in March of 1993 the NKR State Committee of Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People was created, which showed great activity in solving the basic human problems in all the periods of the conflict’s resolution. Today there are no prisoners of war and hostages in the NKR. As a proof of its good will the Karabakh party handed over all such people to Azerbaijan. The members of the Regional Working Group on Missing People and Prisoners of War led by Bernhard Clazen confirmed the absence of prisoners of war and hostages in Nagorno Karabakh. Nowadays the NKR National Assembly holds discussions on signing and ratifying the Council of Europe conventions, particularly, the European Convention of Human Rights and its changed N2 and N11 reports as well as N1, 4, 6 and 7 ones.
    
3.3. On April 30, 1995, elections to the National Assembly were held. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic Supreme Soviet prematurely ceased its authorities (they were to be over in December of 1996), formed 33 voting districts (instead of the former 81).
3.4. The elections to the National Assembly (the third convocation supreme legislative body) of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic were held on June 18, 2000. As a result the current parliament was formed. There are two factions in the National Assembly: Democratic Artsakh Union (pro-governmental majority) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation /Dashnaktsutyun/ (opposition faction, which stands for the candidature of the acting president during the last presidential elections on August 11, 2002). The Artsakh Armenakan and Social-Democratic parties are also represented in the Parliament (each of them has one mandate).  There are also independent deputies. Two of 33 deputies are women.

3.5. The system of elections in the republic is being improved aiming to make the electoral system of the republic closer to European standards. The laws “On Elections of the National Assembly”, “On Presidential Elections”, “On Elections of the local self-government bodies” have been in force. Though the elections of the National Assembly were held (on June 18, 2000) on the basis of the universal ballot, in accordance with the law the social-political organizations have the right to propose and stand up for Deputy-candidates without any restriction. The same way they can nominate president of the republic as well as governor of a district and members of the Council of Elders.
On December 8, 2004, the NKR Electoral Code which regulates the whole electoral system was adopted.

4. For centralizing the republic’s potential and resisting Azerbaijan’s large scale military aggression /in 1992 about 50% of the whole territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was occupied: the whole Shahoumian region, 90% of the Martakert region, some areas of the Askeran, Hadrut and Martuni regions/ on the basis of the August 1992 Nagorno Karabakh Supreme Soviet’s resolution, a martial law was introduced.  A State Defense Committee /SDC/ was formed. Authority of legislative and executive powers has been reduced significantly: the executive branch passed to the SDC, and the Supreme Council remained to be the supreme legislative body.

1. Creation of SDC was reasonable and dictated by critical situation the Nagorno Karabakh faced. The war dictated efficient defense of state and military discipline, without which it would be impossible ensure the security of NKR population.

1. After May 1994 cease-fire agreement, the republic began to return to democratic ways of government. Supreme Council of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic suspended the SDC functioning and adopted a law “On President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.”  Thus the thus the institute of President was introduced in the NKR.

1. In December 1994 the Supreme Soviet elected the first president of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

1. The first direct national elections of the NKR president were conducted on November 24, 1996.
2. In March 1997, Arkady Ghoukasian was elected president of the republic. Mr. Ghoukasian has also won the August 2002 presidential elections in the republic, which were conducted with attendance of some 116 international independent observers and journalists.

1. Nagorno Karabakh is a presidential republic. The NKR president is elected by people through direct vote and for the term of 5 years. According to the acting legislation, president is the head of executive power, ensures proper functioning of legislative, executive and judicial powers. Head of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

1. Commission on Amnesty, Commission on State Awards and Constitutional Commission function under the NKR president. The Constitutional Commission headed by president was formed in September 1998. Constitutional Laws “On President”, “On National Assembly”, “On Government”, “On NKR Judicial Power”, “ On the Local Self-government Bodies”, “On Administrative Divisions” that form the legal basis of the state’s constitutional order.

1. In January 1992, the NKR Supreme Council session also established an executive body – the first government of the NKR – Council of Ministers.

1. The first government (Council of Ministers) formed by National Assembly of first convocation functioned from January to August 1992, after its resignation the State Defense Committee was formed. It functioned from 1992 till January 1995. On February 20, 1995, a law “On the NKR Government” was adopted and put into force.

1. According to the law president forms the executive power (government) of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. From 1995 till 2003 four cabinets have been formed.

1. Government represents the NKR executive power. It is headed by the prime minister. Cabinet consists of vice-premier, ministers, heads of state departments and head of the cabinet’s staff. Government authority is regulated by law “On the NKR Government”. Prime minister is appointed by the president. The president also ratifies the government structure and membership. The cabinet is accountable to the NKR president and the National Assembly.

1. Since the very beginning of military operations, the republic’s authorities performed an active foreign activity protecting the NKR rights and interests in the international area. In July 1993, the NKR Foreign Ministry.  Currently there are permanent representation missions in the Republic of Armenia, Russian Federation, the United States of America, France, Australia and Middle East countries.

1. On January 12, 1992, in accordance with the law on “ State Sovereignty” the process of formation of armed forced started in the NKR. In the April of the same year along with the Council of Ministers the committee on self-defense was formed. In November 1993 the NKR SDC adopted a decision on transforming the NKR self-defense forces into the NKR Defense Army, aimed at reorganizing all the self-defense units into army structures making them correspondent to armies, which acted in accordance with international legal norms. The NKR armed forces has won the war with Azerbaijan and today is considered to be one of the most effective and disciplined armies in the region, which is able to solve most difficult military tasks. Today the NKR Defense Army remains the only true guarantor of security for the republic and its people.

    The NKR Ministry of Defense was formed in 1995.

8.1 From November 1991 to May 12, 1994 Nagorno Karabakh Republic was at war with Azerbaijan. In that period, particularly in August-September 1993, on the initiative of Azerbaijan official contacts at corresponding levels were established between two states. The NKR state bodies keep the supporting documents.

8.2 On May 5, 1994 in the capital of Kyrgyzstan parliamentarians of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh signed “Bishkek Protocol” which became the basis for cease-fire agreement in the Karabakh conflict. On May 12 the official agreement establishing cease-fire was also reached with participation of the NKR official representatives and confirmed (endorsed) by them on an equal footing with Azerbaijani officials. In spite of the agreement Azerbaijan several times violated the cease-fire regime.

8.3 On June 6, 1992 the NKR Supreme Soviet passed the Law “On the Liability for Military Service” that underwent some changes and was passed in the new edition in December 2001. According to the Law there are fixed period and reserve t forms of military service in the NKR. The alternative service was discussed but because at that time the state was still in the war and had very limited possibilities to organise employment for alternative personnel on proper level, the question was delayed for an indefinite period of time.

9. According to the NKR Law “On the administrative and territorial division of the NKR”, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is administratively divided into regions and communities. Regional administrations, heads of which are appointed and relieve by the decrees of the government, are governing bodies of administrative-territorial units.

Community council of elders, community head is self-governing bodies of communities. They are elected for a term of three years by members of communities through universal, equal and direct suffrage, by secret vote.

9.1 On September 27, 1998 Nagorno Karabakh Republic held the first elections of the local self-government bodies (including mayor of Stepanakert and community council of elders).

The second elections to the local self-government bodies were held on September 5, 2001.

The third elections to the local self-government bodies were held in two rounds on August 6 and August 22, 2004.

10. The judicial authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic are independent and function in compliance with the NKR Laws on “Judicial system”, “On the status of judges” and “Council of judicial magistracy”. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic has two-level judicial system – court of first instance and Supreme Court. The last one has supervising, cassation and constitutional instances. The National Assembly according to the recommendation of the President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic appointed judges of the court of first instance and Supreme Court and chairmen of the courts in 2002. According to the law all judges are appointed without limitation of their authorities by any term. According to the law issues of their professional suitability and further career advancement are regulated by a decree of the President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic upon recommendation of the council of magistracy.
    Judicial system reforms are in process aiming to make it correspond with the international standards.

11. The NKR Office of Public Prosecutor is the body carrying protection of the state interests. The frameworks of its activity and competence are established by the Nagorno Karabakh Republic law “On Office of Public Prosecutor”. The Republic Chief Prosecutor, his deputies, subdivisions, main and regional prosecutors are appointed and dismissed by the president Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
    
According to the law since January 1, 2004, the right of sanctions has been transferred from the Office of Public Prosecutor to the Courts of First Instance.

The transitional period was established taking into consideration the necessity of technical re-armament of the courts, the qualification of the judges. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic Government envisages the assistance of interested European structures in carrying out this process.

12. Law enforcement bodies realize the preservation of the social order and the fight with crime in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic law “On Police” establishes the frameworks of their authorities.  The Nagorno Karabakh Republic law enforcement system is led by the Interior Ministry. The ministry has departments in all the regions of the republic and in capital Stepanakert.

13. Since declaring its independence the Nagorno Karabakh Republic has been consecutively establishing free, democratic society with the priority of civil values. In the NKR there are no limitations of realization of democratic rights and freedoms. Although the law “On legal regime of martial law” to an extent limits these rights, nevertheless, no censorship has been imposed in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic since 1997.

13.1. Basic rights and freedoms of citizens of the NKR are guaranteed by the laws “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations”, “On Mass Media”, “On Language”, “On Education”, “On Medical Care”, “On Social Security”, “On Public Organizations”, “On Social and Political Organizations”, and by some others. 

13.2. Citizens of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, regardless of national belonging are free to confess or not to confess any religion. National minorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic have the right to receive education in their native language. Greek and Russian communities are registered in the republic. About 20 mass media are registered in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, including «Pace» independent broadcasting channel, «A Plus» and «Voice of Justice» (in Azerbaijani) independent broadcasting stations, «The 10th province» (the publication of which has been suspended by the decision of its trustee), «Chto delat», «Demo» and «Gegharm» independent publications, «Aparazh» (Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Artsakh), party bi-weekly and «Hayrenik» social and political bi-weekly newspaper of the Democratic Union of Artsakh), as well as official «Azat Artsakh» republican daily.  In 2003 in accordance with the NKR law on «Television and radio», a public broadcasting company was established. It is functioning today and is governed by the Council of public television and radio broadcasting company.

14. The Republic's educational system includes preschool, secondary, professional, graduate and postgraduate state-run and non-state-run (licensed) institutions, where education is carried out both in Armenian (state language) and in Russian languages; English, French and German are taught as well. In the NKR there are one state-run and about ten non-state-run institutes of higher education, including branches of foreign institutions (Moscow Modern Humanitarian University, Yerevan University of Management).

15. 68 public and 16 social and political organizations are registered in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. (The law on parties was adopted in November 2003 and entered into force on January 1, 2004). On the results of elections and sociological surveys the Democratic Union of Artsakh, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Artsakh, the Armenakan Party of Artsakh, the Movement-88 Party,  the Nagorno Karabakh Communist Party, the Social-Democratic Party of Artsakh are the most influential parties. (The first two of them have their youth bodies).

Humanitarian, human rights, cultural and sporting activities are effectively carried out by “Vita” (Union of soldiers wounded in the Artsakh war), the NKR Union of relatives of missing soldiers, the Union of parents of lost soldiers, the Karabakh committee of the Helsinki citizens initiative-92, the Institute of Public Diplomacy of Artsakh, the Youth Union of Artsakh, the Fund for Culture, more than ten sporting and a number of other public organizations.

16. The 1992-1994 Karabakh-Azerbaijan armed conflict has greatly damaged the NKR economy.

It still remains impossible to cultivate more than 10 thousand hectares of irrigated lands (8 thousand hectares are mine-strewn, the rest remains under control of Azerbaijani armed forces).

    16.1. Nevertheless, starting from 1995 the republic has been consequently implementing the policy of transition to free market economy. In 1995-1997 the Nagorno Karabakh Republic conducted a privatization of trade and service enterprises, as well as supported establishment of small and middle-scale businesses. In 1998 the NKR National Assembly, on cabinet’s initiative, adopted a program on property privatization.  The program is still in progress. The process of free privatization of agricultural lands started in 1998 and was completed in 1999.

16.2. The NKR needs foreign investments to develop its economy. Since 1998, the National Assembly has ratified, several laws improving tax field in the republic. In recent years the total volume of foreign direct investments into NKR’s economy has reached 35 million US dollars

17. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic does not receive any direct financial assistance from international structures, which has a negative impact on the social-economic situation in the republic.

The NKR authorities have repeatedly stated that the absence of international recognition must not hinder NKR’s participation in regional integration processes. Such an approach contradicts the fundamental principles of international relations, directed to satisfy all the spiritual and material needs of any person irrespective of race, nation and religion.

17.1. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is ready to discuss without any political preconditions economic relations with Azerbaijan, which could be the first step to create an atmosphere of confidence.

18. About two thousand cultural and historic monuments are registered and protected by the state in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. They form a greater part of the whole cultural wealth of Armenian people. Most historic and cultural monuments were destroyed during 70 years of Soviet rule. In 1992-1993 bombardments and shelling by Azerbaijani army severely damaged a number of monasteries, including IV century Amaras church, XIII century Gandzasar cathedral, XII century Dadivank monastery, and many others.

18.1. The current economic situation in the NKR hinders capital restoration of historical and cultural values. NKR authorities have repeatedly addressed several international organizations interested in exploration and protection of historical and cultural values. So far there has been no reply.

ELECTIONS
1991-2004

Referendum on independence

On December 10, 1991 a referendum on independence was held in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (the “Republic” or “NKR”). During the said referendum, the total number of registered voters was 132,328. 108,736 individuals participated, which constitutes 82.2 per cent of the total number of registered voters.

The question posed to the voters in the referendum was as follows: “Do you agree on the Nagorno Karabakh Republic to be an independent state, independently determining the forms of cooperation with other stated and communities?”

108,615 individuals or 99.9 per cent of the total number of registered voters answered “Yes” to the aforementioned question; while 24 individuals or 0.002 per cent answered “No”.

Thus, the absolute majority of NKR’s population voted for the independence of the Republic.

The referendum was monitored by a number of independent observers, who were present at all 30 polling stations of the Republic, and in conclusion issued a report on the Referendum.

Parliamentary elections

On December  28, 1991, elections for the NKR Supreme Soviet were held.

81 districts and 214 polling station commissions were formed in NKR Based on the results of the elections, 81 members were elected to the NKR Supreme Soviet..

On April 30, 1995, early elections for the NKR National Assembly were held.

33 districts were formed. 73.9 per cent of the total number of voters participated. 23 members were elected to the NKR National Assembly, in one round of voting. Independent international observers monitored these elections.

On June 18, 2000, regular elections for the NKR National Assembly took place.

33 districts were formed. In all districts elections were completed in one round. 33 members were elected to the National Assembly. 59.7 per cent of the total number of voters participated. Independent international observers monitored these elections, and they were present in 170 polling stations, they also participated in the compilation of the votes.

Presidential elections

On November 24, 1996, presidential elections were held in NKR.

70,052 voters, or 78.07 per cent, out of the total 89,733 number of voters participated in the elections. Mr. Robert Kocharyan was elected as NKR president. Independent international observers monitored these elections, and 51 signed the final report on the presidential elections.

Due to the appointment of Mr. Robert Kocharyan to the post of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, the NKR Central Electoral Commission issued a decision for the holding of an early presidential election, on September 1, 1997.

76,257 persons or 84.6 per cent of the total 90.137 voters participated in the elections. Mr. Arkady Ghoukasian was elected as the NKR president. International observers from the Russian Federation, France, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Armenia monitored these elections.

On August 11, 2002 the third presidential elections were held in NKR.

64,736 voters or 75.7 per cent of the total 85,523 participated in the elections. Mr. Arkady Ghoukasian was re-elected as NKR president. International observers from Russian Federation, the United States, Great Britain, Italy, France, Armenia and other countries monitored at the elections.

Elections for local self-governing bodies

Three elections for local self-governing bodies were held in NKR, on September 27, 1998, September 5, 2001 and August 22, 2004.
The leader of the opposition “Movement-88” Party Eduard Aghabekyan was elected the mayor of Stepanakert, capital of the NKR, in the last elections.

During the elections for the NKR self-governing bodies held on September 27, 1998, two observers from the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia, as well as other local observers monitored the elections, while during the elections held on September 5, 2001 and two round elections on August  6 and August 22, 2004  local observers and representatives from the mass media conducted the observers’ mission.

DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING NATIONAL LEGISLATION

The South Caucasus has been included in the post Soviet Europe.  Consequently, the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR), striving to gain international recognition of its independence as well to develop and improve national legislation, prioritizes criteria of the Council of Europe, fundamental human rights and freedoms in accordance with the December 10, 1948 UN General Assembly’s declaration.  

Successively elaborating national legislation, since 2001 (when the three internationally recognized states of the South Caucasus were accepted to the Council of Europe and assumed corresponding obligations) the NKR despite the fact that it lacks consultative assistance of the Council of Europe or any other international organization, has passed and implemented the following laws:

1. “On Political Parties”;
2. “On Public Organizations”;
3. “On Television and Radio” (the NKR Public TV and Radio company was formed and the Council of the television and radio was appointed);
4. Second (special) part of the NKR criminal code (according to which death penalty was abolished and replaced with life sentence);
5. “On Civil Service”;
6. “Civil Code”;
7. “Electoral Code”
8. “On Ombudsman”
9. “On Making Amendments and Changes to the NKR Law “On the Public Prosecutor`s Office” (effective from January 1, 2004).  According to the law the right of sanctions was reserved for the Court of First Instance and the Prosecutor General was deprived of the right of legislative initiative;
10. “On Making Changes to the NKR Law “On the NKR President” (according to which the president no longer enjoys the right of legislative initiative);
11. “On Making Changes to the NKR Law “On Court Organization” (the Chairman of the NKR Supreme Court was deprived of the right of legislative initiative).

SELF-GOVERNING BODIES

Local self-government in the NKR is implemented in accordance with the Law “On Local Self-Government,” adopted on January 19, 1998.

The Law defines the concept of local self-government, its principles, bodies, competence, as well as coordinates interrelations between the local self-government and state bodies.

According to the Law local self-government is the right and ability to control communal property of local self-governing bodies and solve communal problems within the frameworks of NKR legislation and its own responsibility with the aim of raising living standards of the population. 

Members of the community elect local self-governing bodies, the council of community elders (as a representative organ) and the head of community (as an executive organ) for a three-year term.

Within the coming one–two months it is planned submit to the NKR National Assembly a draft law “On Changes and Amendments to the NKR Law “On Local Self-Government.”  The draft law envisages:

1. Enlargement of the jurisdiction of the council of community elders and the head of community;
2. Correction of the principles of community budget formation;
3. Definition of the interrelation criteria between local self-government and state bodies.

The list of the NKR communities is fixed in the NKR Law “On the Territorial-Administrative Division of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.” The law grants towns (including Stepanakert) and other populated areas of the republic the status of community. The Law allows uniting two or more areas with small populations into a single community.

In September 1998, in September 2001 and in August 2004 elections to the local self-government bodies were conducted in the NKR.

LEGAL GUARANTEES OF THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH
AND MASS MEDIA ACTIVITY

• The freedom of speech and the right of getting information in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) are guaranteed by the legislation.
• The NKR Law “On Mass Media” signed by the President of the NKR was put in force on December 11,1999. In October 2003 some amendments and changes were introduced to the above-mentioned law.
• According to the law:
• Mass Media in the NKR are free and serve to the development of free and democratic society;
• No restrictions are put on searching, getting and publishing information are within and outside the territory of the NKR;
• No special license is needed for any activities related to Mass Media;
• The free right to get any information and materials from Mass Media freely is guarantied for the NKR citizens;
• Any kind of monopoly for publishing and spreading information in Mass Media is prohibited;
• Censorship of Mass Media is prohibited;
• The law defines the following spheres of limits for the freedom of Mass Media:
• State secret;
• Office secret;
• Commercial secret;
• Medical secret;
• Human rights and private life
• The law presupposes other limitations, in particular censorship in the state emergency, war and martial law;

5a. No censorship of Mass Media has been carried out in the NKR since 1997. Such a decision was adopted by the National Assembly of the republic upon the proposal of the NKR President (see Presidential Decree “On Prolonging Martial Law in the NKR”).
6. In the NKR Mass Media can be founded by:

• State and local government bodies;
• A citizen;
• A political party (with the exception of TV, radio and TV-radio companies).
• The law prohibits the propaganda of war, violence, racial discrimination, subversion of the political system, religious intolerance, cruelty, and pornography.

8. The law defines rights and duties of journalists.

• The law confirms freedom of accreditation and professional activity of the representatives of foreign Mass Media.
• The functioning of Mass Media in the NKR can be terminated by:
• the founder’s decision;
• the decision of the court.

10a. So far there has been no verdict about terminating the functioning of Mass Media in the NKR.
10b. The issuing of the “Tenth State” weekly newspaper was temporarily terminated by the official decision of the founder in March of 2000.

• The following newspapers are published in Nagorno Karabakh:
• “Azat Artsakh” republican newspaper in Armenian and Russian. The newspaper also an electronic version in Armenian, English and Russian (The web-site address is www.artsakhtert.com); 
• “Martik” NKR Defense Army’s weekly newspaper;
• “Aparazh,” Dashnaktsutyun party newspaper;
• “Hairenik,” Democratic Artsakh Union party fortnightly newspaper (in Armenian and Russian);
• “Demo” public newspaper of Karabakh;
• “Pashtpan Haireniats,” the newspaper of “Artsakh War Veterans” organization;
• “Eghetsi Louis”
• “Pala Poughi”
• “Gegharm,” a monthly literary publicistic periodical (in Armenian, Russian and English).
• “Stepanakert” weekly newspaper (founded by Stepanakert city administration)
• “Artsakh University,” student newspaper of Artsakh State University;
• “Chto Delat” analytical monthly newspaper founded and issued by independent political scientist Mourad Petrossian;
• “Lousarar” fortnight newspaper founded by the Ministry of Education and Science;
• All regional administrations issue bulletins, which are registered as newspapers;
• “Haiki Seround, ”newspaper of “Haiki Seround” youth organization;
• “Artsakh Communist,” newspaper of NKR Communist Party.

12. The following organizations have accredited journalists in the NKR:

• RFE/Radio Liberty;
• “INTERFAX”, “REGNUM”, “ARKA”, “MEDIAMAX”, “ARMINFO”, “NOYAN TAPAN” information agencies;
• “Aravot”, “Haikakan Zhamanak”, “Azg”, “Haiastani Hanrapetoutiun”, “Novoe Vremia” newspapers;
• “Prometevs” independent and Armenian Public TV companies.

13. “Dzain Ardaroutian” (“Sound of Justice”) Azerbaijani language radio station operates in the NKR
14. In 2003 in accordance with NKR law “On TV and Radio” NKR Public TV was founded. Its governing organ is Public TV Council.
15.“Pace” independent TV company /in Armenian and Russian/, as well as “Pace” and “A+” independent radio stations are operating in the NKR.
16. Armenian Public TV, “Prometevs” independent, ORT, RTR Russian TV channels are re-translated in the NKR;
16a. The NKR does disturb the broadcasting the Azerbaijani State AzTV1 channel in its territory;
16b. In the whole territory of the republic the authorities do not use any technical or other means to hinder broadcasting of the programs of Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani state and independent as well as BBC, RFE/Radio Liberty and other international radio stations.
17. The freedom of broadcasting local and foreign TV and radio programs is guaranteed by the NKR Law “On Telecommunication”.
18. The NKR National Assembly has included in the agenda of its 8th session the draft laws “On Making Amendments and Changes” in NKR laws “On Mass Media”, “On TV And Radio”. The draft law “On Information Freedom” is currently in the stage of preliminary discussions.
19. By adopting new Laws “On Making Amendments and changes in NKR Laws “On Mass Media”, “On TV and Radio”, “On Information Freedom”, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic actually without the assistance of European structures, will complete the process of safeguarding the legal basis of the right to search, get and spread information. The process began in May of 1994 following the signing of the cease-fire agreement with Azerbaijan.
20. The NKR authorities attach great importance to the role of mass media in the development of democratic and civil society and are ready to continue a constructive dialogue with all the political forces, national and religious minorities for within the frameworks and criteria acceptable to the Council of Europe.

FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND RIGHTS OF
ETHNIC MINORITIES

    The law “On the Fundamentals of the State Independence of the NKR” (entered into force on January 6, 1992) regulates freedom of conscience and rights of ethnic minorities in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR). According to article 9 article of the law citizens of the NKR have equal rights, irrespective of their origin, social and economic status, race, nationality, gender, education, language, religion, occupation, etc. NKR citizens enjoy equal rights in economic, political, social and cultural spheres.

Rights and freedoms provided in the NKR comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international norms.

Article 1 of the law states that the NKR is free in realizing its own legislative, executive and judicial authority in its own way for the interests of the people living in the republic.

Article 10 of the law guarantees the usage and development of the Russian language and other languages of national minorities, the rights of the latter, the conditions of their development in all spheres.

The law “On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations of the NKR” (entered into force on March 16,1997) gives more details on the freedom of conscience:

According to the law:

• Freedom of conscience and religion is guaranteed in the NKR.  Each citizen has a right to confess or not to confess any religion, and also to participate in religious services both alone or with other citizens.
• The citizens have equal rights, irrespective of religion. Law prosecutes any direct or indirect restrictions of religious rights, religious persecution and animosity.
• No violence is allowed against a citizen for participating in services, rituals and religious lectures.
• The freedom of conscience is limited only when it poses danger to the state and social security, order, health and morality of the citizens, rights and freedoms of the other members of the society.

ETHNIC MINORITIES

According to the 1989 census representatives of 49 nationalities such Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Greeks, Georgians, Tatars, Chechens, Azerbaijanis and representatives of other nationalities lived in Nagorno Karabakh. Many of them left Karabakh due to military operations. Now only Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Georgians, and some Azerbaijanis live in the republic.

The Russians settled in Karabakh in the 18th century. On the eve of the war 1922 Russians and Ukrainians lived in the republic and there were around 10 Russian language schools.  Currently there are 805 Russians and Ukrainians living in the NKR and one Russian school.

Each year 169 pensioners and people of Russian nationality who have five minor children receive pensions and assistance as defined by the law.

The Russian community was legally recognized and has been functioning since 1996. The “Russian Community”, “Union of Russian Speaking Citizens of the NKR”, “Russian Diaspora” and some other public organizations function in the republic.

The Greeks settled the territory of Nagorno Karabakh in 1860 and founded the village Mehmana (Martakert region), where they have live till now.

As a result of military actions the village was completely destroyed and the population was displaced. Twenty four families were forced to leave for Greece in 1992.  Following the liberation of the village, the NKR government has reconstructed six private houses, the water supply system, built an electric power station and the road to the village.

There are now 21 Greek families with overall number reaching 57 people, 12 of them are pensioners. The parents of six minor children get an aid from the state.

In June 1994 a centre of Greek-Armenian friendship was established, with the aim of improving social-economic conditions of the Greeks.

The Russian, French, English and German languages are taught in the schools of the republic.
The students of eleven higher and secondary educational establishments (both state and private) study Russian, English, French and German languages.

INFORMATION

On women occupying high positions in central and local self-government bodies

Women occupy some high positions in central and local self-government bodies.
    

• In the National Assembly there are two women deputies.  Women constitute 6.1 percent of NKR parliamentarians.
• There is one woman minister in the NKR cabinet of ministers, which comprises 14 ministries.  
• There is one woman deputy minister out of 13 deputy ministers of the NKR cabinet;
• Four out of the 14 judges of the NKR Supreme and First Instance Courts are women.
• Women head nine out of thirty medical institutions in the system of the NKR Ministry of Public Health;
• Women head 91 out of 190 higher, secondary-professional and secondary educational institutions in the NKR as well as 184 out of 247 institutions and organizations in the spheres of culture and sports;
• 24 out of 78 heads of the departments and services in the NKR regional administrations are women.

THE LEGAL SYSTEM

ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE NKR LEGAL SYSTEM AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THE JUDICIAL AUTHORITY

The state authority in the NKR is realized on the basis of the separation of legislative, executive and legal powers.

Administration of justice in the NKR is carried out only by the courts.

In 1999-2000 the NKR adopted a whole package of legislative acts for implementing legal and judicial reforms.  The package in particular covers the intermediate courts and intermediate legal proceedings, obligatory performance of judicial acts, the formation service carrying out the performance of the judicial acts, the public prosecutor’s office, the juridical activity, the court organization, the status of judges and the council of the judicial magistrates.

The new legal system has been functioning since February 6, 2002 when the supreme legislative body of the republic passed the laws “On the activity of the Supreme Court and the Court of First Instance in the transition period of legal and judicial reforms,” “On the introduction of the new civil code of the NKR,” “On the application of the new criminal code of the NKR,” as well as appointed the chairmen and the judges of the Supreme and First Instance courts. The newly appointed judges assume offices on February 15, 2002, taking an oath in the presence of the NKR President.

According to the NKR law “On the Court Organization” the President appoints judges. The judges are independent, their position is secured (they occupy the same position till the age of 65), legal proceedings are public, interfering into the professional activities of the judges are inadmissible, etc.

Currently there is a three-level system of general jurisdiction in the Republic, with the two levels functioning within one structure - the Supreme Court.
 

The creation of extraordinary courts is forbidden, and abuse of authority of the court is legally punishable.

THE NKR COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

All the cases related to civil, economic, criminal, military as well as administrative offences are within the terms of reference of the Court of First Instance. The issues of detention, the warrant for apartment search as well as the restriction of the right of privacy of correspondence, telephone, postal, telegraph and other means of communication are reserved to the NKR Court of First Instance.

There is one Court of First Instance in the NKR, which consists of the chairman (who is also a judge) and 6 judges. The whole territory of the Republic is under the jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance.  The headquarter of the court is the capital Stepanakert. The Court of First Instance has offices in the regional centers of the Republic. In the Court of First Instance a judge personally considers the cases.

To solve a particular dispute the parties to the dispute may create intermediary courts in accordance with the 1999 NKR law on intermediate courts and intermediate legal proceedings.

THE SUPREME COURT

In the NKR the authorities of the Court of Review and the Court of Appeal are combined within the Supreme Court, which consists of 6 judges and the chairman (who is also a judge). Justice is administered either through reviewing with one judge or through cassation collectively with minimum 3 judges.

On the basis of the appeal, the Court of Appeal actually reviews the cases considered by the Court of First Instance.  The Court of Appeal is not constrained by the arguments of the appeals and can entirely examine any case.

The Court of Cassation is an instance, which reviews the acts mentioned within the limits of the principles, based on the appeals that were brought against the decisions, the verdicts and the writs of the Court of Appeal that were put into effect by the Court of First Instance.
The decision of the Court of Cassation comes into force from the moment of issue and is not to be appealed.

The Supreme Court also acts as the Constitutional Court of the NKR and as such it considers the cases collectively with no less than five judges.

Four judges out of the 14 appointed in the courts of the republic are women. Four judges have about a 10-year professional experience and the rest have more than 20-year experience. All of them have graduated from higher legal institutions.

The interrelation between the courts and other law-enforcement bodies are regulated by the NKR legislation. Any interference by the state structures, local self-government bodies and their officials, political parties, public organizations and mass media into the activity of judges in administering justice are inadmissible and brings to legal liability.

THE COUNCIL OF THE JUDICIAL MAGISTRATES

The Council of the Judicial Magistrates ensures the independence of the legal institutions, through which it assists the President of the Republic in effectively implementing his authority as the guarantor of independence of the legal institutions. In addition, the implementation of cadre policy through the Council considerably reduces the direct dependence of judges on higher organs and other state institutions.

The Council includes 7 members appointed by the President for a five-year term. The President, National Assembly and the cabinet of ministers each put forward by one judge.  The Council includes also the Chairman of the Supreme Court and 3 judges, two of them being from the Court of First Instance and one from the Supreme Court. The Chairman of the Supreme Court calls forth the sessions of the Council when necessary. The Council makes suggestions to the President regarding awarding ranks to judges. The law also provides the principles of pre-term suspension of the authority of both the Council’s members and judges and the initiation of disciplinary actions towards judges.

ARMED FORCES AND LEGAL BASIS
FOR MILITARY SERVICE

1. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) was declared on September 2, 1991.
2. On November 26, 1991 unilaterally nullifying the Zheleznovodsk Communiqué, (Azerbaijan itself as well as the NKR were signatories of the communiqué), the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, the highest official organ of the republic at the time) adopted a decision “On the goals of Defense and Interior Ministries of Azerbaijan on ensuring security of the Azerbaijani population of Nagorno Karabakh”. This was actually declaration of war on the NKR.  The decision was followed by full-scale military activities against the NKR.
3. In such a critical situation the NKR stared to create its own security system.
4. On January 12, 1992 the NKR National Assembly of the first convocation adopted a constitutional law “On the Fundamentals of the State Independence of the NKR.”  The law secured the sovereign right of republic to have its armed forces.
5. On April 20, 1992 in accordance with that law the NKR cabinet of ministers formed the Committee of Self-Defense (CSD). The committee took command of self-defense forces.
6. On July 6, 1992 the NKR Supreme Soviet adopted a law “On Military Service”. The law defined the active, contractual, and reserve services. In 1992 Karabakh parliament adopted the law “On Criminal Liability for Military Crimes.”
7. On November 10, 1993 the Committee of Self-Defense adopted a decision on reorganization of the self-defense forces into NKR Defense Army, launching the formation of a regular army in accordance with international legal norms.
8. On October 31, 2001 the NKR National Assembly adopted a law “On Mobilization and Preparations to the Mobilization and on December 27, 2001 it adopted a new law “On Military Service.”
9. Now the National Assembly discusses draft law “On Alternative Military Service.”
   ECONOMY

The war and 16 years of blockade cost NKR economy more than 5 billion US dollars.  The industrial complex of republic was completely destroyed.  Great damage was caused also to the agricultural sphere. Many agricultural buildings and constructions were ruined, machines and equipment were plundered, and around 70% of livestock was taken to Azerbaijan.  Around 1600 hectares of orchards and 9400 hectares of vineyards were completely incinerated.

Currently more than 10 thousand hectares of agricultural lands, including 6 thousand hectares of sown area, cannot be cultivated for they have are mine-strewn. The irrigation system (before the war more than 19 thousand hectares of agricultural land were irrigated) was completely destroyed.  The total damage caused to the NKR agriculture is estimated at 2-2, 3 billion US dollars.

During the war 11674 private houses and 226 tenements were ruined. As a result 76 thousand Armenians from NKR became refugees and lost property worth of 1.5-1.9 billion US dollars. 

Following the establishment of the cease-fire, NKR economy began to recover already in 1995. In 1995-1997 a macroeconomic stability was established with 5-6 percent of annual economic growth. Economic policy in 1998-1999 was aimed at preserving the growth rates as well as forming market structures and legislative field.

Since 2000 the main goal of economic development has been to maintain high and stable growth rates, improve market structures, and increase living standards of the population and reduce poverty.

Overall it can be said that main problems of transitional period (stable macroeconomic indicators, free trade and prices, privatization, legal basis for market economy) have already been overcome in the republic.

The share of private sector in the gross industrial output in 2003 constituted 67,1 percent (in 1999 the share of private sector was only 23 percent). 

Favorable conditions (internal political stability, flexible tax field, cheap and qualified labor, appropriate infrastructure) have been created to attract and foreign and internal investments.
 
Since January 2000 tax reforms have been carried out in the NKR. The reforms has significantly reduced tax and social payments (currently NKR has the lowest taxes both in the region and among CIS states) and has created favorable conditions for foreign investments, reduced the share of shadow economy.

The total volume of private investments into the NKR economy in recent years has reached 35 million US dollars (without credit investments by commerce banks).  It is expected to attract additional 12 million US dollars in 2004-2005.

The privatization of land, housing fund, state enterprises and other establishments has been already completed.
Special attention has been put on small and middle-scale entrepreneurship as important components of social-economic development of the republic. 400 million drams (around 708 million US dollars) have been allocated from the state budget for the development of small and middle-scale businesses.

However, in spite of a significant progress in the republic, NKR economy faces some serious problems, such as low salaries, pensions, insufficient development of market infrastructure, low volume of foreign investments, etc.  New reforms in administrative, economic and social spheres have been envisaged to solve the above mentioned problems and ensure long-term sustainable development of the NKR’s economy.  A serious obstacle on the way of economic development of NKR has been the lack of international recognition, which hinders the flow of investments, credits and grants from international organizations, foreign banks and development agencies.

Annex 1

LIST OF LAWS ADOPTED
BY THE NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

223 further amendments and supplements were introduced in the NKR Laws.

Annex 2

LIST OF PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

PUBLIC - POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS

MASS MEDIA

Annex 3

DATA ON REFUGEES, DISPLACED PERSONS AND THE TERRITORIES, OCCUPIED DURING MILITARY ACTIONS IN NAGORNO KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJAN

(disseminated in the UN)

Nagorno Karabakh

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) is also referred to as the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region (NKAR) or the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO, the Russian word oblast means region).

The current geographical territory of NKR does not include all of the areas which were historically and ethnically considered as Armenian[1]; it does however include the territories of what was formerly considered as the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast under the Soviet Regime, as well as the Shahoumian region.

It is on these territories that the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh was established. On September 2, 1991, the Joint Session of Soviet Peoples Deputies of NKAR and the Shahoumian Region proclaimed the establishment of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, pursuant to Article 3 of the Law of the USSR on the Procedure of Cessation from the Union of Soviet Socia list Republics, adopted on April 3, 1990. This Proclamation of Independence was based on the national referendum held on December 10, 1991. The population of these territories participated in the election of the state authorities, who are referred to as elected and other representative of Nagorno Karabakh in the 1992 mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Refugees and Displaced Persons in Nagorno Karabakh

The Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh reached 300,000-330,000 in 1918. Had conditions of consistent economic growth and reliable security been ensured in the region, the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh would have reached 700,000-800,000 by 1988. Between 1918 and 1920, a Turkish-Azeri campaign of ethnic cleansing was launched against the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh, resulting in the killing of 20% of the population. In Shoushi alone, one of the largest cities in the Transcaucasus and the capital at the time, 20,000 Armenians were massacred by the Turkish-Azeri troops. Even after such atrocities, Armenians still made up 95% of the population of the Autonomous Region (Oblast) of Nagorno Karabakh at the time of its creation in 1923, whereas the Azeris constituted only 3%. The region was renamed the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region (NKAR) in 1936.

Due to such systematic discrimination and forced emigration during the Soviet-Azeri regime, which lasted over 70 years, the growth of the Armenian population in Nagorno Karabakh stagnated (currently 600,000 Nagorno Karabakh Armenians live in Armenia and the CIS countries); proportionally, it even decreased to 77% in NKAR. Whereas the number of Azeri population in Nagorno Karabakh consistently increased under the Soviet-Azeri regime, due to the influx of Azeris from Azerbaijan.

According to the official data of the 1989 USSR census, the population of NKAR was 189,000, of which 145,500 (76.9%) were Armenians and 40,600 (21.5%) were Azeris. Over 17,000 Armenians (80% of the population of the Shahoumian region) and approximately 3,000 Azeris lived in the Shahoumian region.

The census, however, did not include 23,000 Armenian refugees from Baku, Sumgait and several other cities, who, when the census was being conducted in January of 1989, actually lived in the former known as NKAR. These people did not have NKAR registration (a stamp in the passports of all Soviet citizens indicating the place of their permanent residence) and hence were considered to be living in their previous places of residence.

Thus, the total number of the Armenian population of both NKAR and the Shahoumian region was 185,500, of which Azeris constituted 44,000, and the Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Tatars and others- about 3,500 thousand.

In 1923, the regime in Moscow entrusted the Azeris with the task of determining the borders of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region, and the Northern areas of Nagorno Karabakh (regions mainly populated by Armenian, such as the Shahoumian region), which were originally included in the territories given to Azerbaijan by the Russian Bolsheviks in 1921, were not included in this newly established autonomous oblast.

In the 1930s, in an effort to dilute the overwhelming majority of the Armenian population in the northern territories of Nagorno Karabakh (such as Dashkesan, Shamkhor, Gedabek, and Khanlar regions), the Azeris redrew the borders of Nagorno Karabakh, and these northern territories which were densely populated by Armenians were divided and included in the newly created administrative regions of the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic (AzSSR). The ancient Karabakh town of Gyanja - formerly Elizavetpol and then Kirovabad in Soviet times- was part of these regions which were divided and included in the AzSSR. Nevertheless, until 1988, Armenians constituted an absolute majority of the population of Northern Karabakh, which included the mountainous regions and partly also the foothills of the above-mentioned regions of the AzSSR. In 1988, the number of Armenians living in this area was as follows:

These figures demonstrate that the Armenian population of Northern Karabakh alone was twice as large as the Azeri population of the former NKAR. In the city of Gyanja alone there were7,000 more Armenians than Azeris in the whole of the former NKAR, or 4 times the number of Azeris living in the town of Shoushi.

By the end of 1988, the entire Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh (the NKAR, the Shahoumian region and Northern NK) was 268,000.

The deportation of the Armenians of Northern NK started in the autumn of 1988 and came to an end only after the initiation of armed combat in 1991. The last Armenian settlements in Getashen and Martounashen were ravaged in April-May, 1991, as a result of the joint operation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan and internal troops of the USSR. During this operation called Ring, 24 Armenian settlements in Nagorno Karabakh were occupied by Azerbaijan and their entire population was deported. Currently the overwhelming majority of the refugees from Northern NK live in Armenia, some of them are in Russia and only a few have returned to NKR.

During the military actions in the summer and autumn of 1992, the Azerbaijani army completely took hold of the Shahoumian region, approximately two-thirds of the Martakert region, as well as some parts of Martouni, Askeran and Hadrout regions of NKR. As a result, 66,000 Armenians became refugees or displaced persons. After the liberation of the greater part of the occupied territories (except for the Shahoumian region and parts of the Martakert and Martouni regions) by the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh, 35,000 refugees returned to NKR. However, most of these refugees qualify as displaced persons, since either their villages were completely destroyed or they are sill under Azeri occupation.

The total number of Armenian refugees from Nagorno Karabakh is 114,000, of which 83,000 are from Northern NK, and 31,000 are predominantly from the Shahoumian and Martakert regions.

There are about 30,000 displaced persons in the NKR.

From the 185,000 NKR Armenians in 1991, currently there are 61,000 refugees and displaced persons from NKR proper, which represents 33% of the Armenian population of NKR (1991 figures). (Information is based on the following sources:

The 1989 Soviet Union census,

The Department of Statistics of the Oblast Soviet of the NKAO,

The Regional Executive Committee of the Shahoumian Region,

The Committee on Refugees of the NKR)

This means that one-third of the NKR population are refugees or displaced persons.

Together with the refugees of Northern NK (see above) the total number of refugees and displaced persons reaches 144,000, which is 54% of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh as a whole (NKR and Northern NK), according to 1988 figures.

Thus, since 1988, every other Armenian from Karabakh, who, at that time, lived in their Motherland, has become either a refugee or a displaced person.

Although most of the Armenians who had lived in Baku, Sumgait and several other towns and regions of Azerbaijan and became refugees as a result of the conflict, are of Karabakh descent, we deliberately limited ourselves to the geographic and demographic borders of Nagorno Karabakh and do not speak here about this considerably large category of Armenian refugees, which should become a subject of discussion between Armenia and Azerbaijan. (More than 350,000 Armenians left Azerbaijan and now live in Armenia, Russia, CIS and other countries)

When comparing the aforementioned figures for the refugees and displaced persons from NKR, with the figures available for Azerbaijan (please see below) it is clear that of the two conflicting parties, NKR has suffered an incomparably more difficult situation in terms of refugees and displaced persons. It should also be added that contrary to the fact that Azeri refugees receive humanitarian aid from international organizations, until recently, NKR did not receive any assistance from such organizations for its refugees and displaced persons.

Occupied territories of the NKR

By occupied territories of Nagorno Karabakh, the authorities of the NKR mean the territories of the NKR, occupied by Azerbaijan. As stated earlier, NKR does not cover the whole Armenian Nagorno Karabakh in its geographic, historical and ethnic entirety, but only the territories of the former NKAR and the Shahoumian region (see above), where the authorities of the NKR had full control at the onset of the military conflict.

As a result of military actions between Azerbaijan and the NKR in 1992, the Azeri troops occupied and still hold approximately 750 sq. km, or 15%, of NKR territory including the whole of the Shahoumian region (600 sq. km) and some parts of the Martakert and Martouni regions.

Azerbaijan

The Azeri authorities consistently, through state propaganda and official statements, claim that 20% of Azerbaijani land is occupied at present and there are more than 1 million refugees and displaced persons. They claim that this situation is a result of Armenias aggression against Azerbaijan, as well as the seizure of both NK and the adjacent regions by Armenia.

It should be noted that none of the UN Security Council resolutions concerning the NK conflict contains any expression of aggression by Armenia or demands that its troops be withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh (see the 1993 UN SC resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884.)

The Issue of the Occupied Azeri Territories

According to the maps issued by the Azerbaijani officials, the total area of the territories occupied by the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh allegedly is 8,780 sq. km., the total area of the Azerbaijani Republic being 86,600sq. km. Simple arithmetic calculation shows that the seven regions adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh make up only 10% of Azerbaijans territory. Even if we were to consider the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh proper as an occupied territory, as it is officially claimed by the leaders of the Azerbaijani Republic, the area would make only 13% and not 20% (Taking into account the territories that both Azerbaijan and Karabakh have occupied from each other).

As stated earlier, none of the UN or OSCE documents make any mention of Armenias occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan. These are merely allegations made by the Azeri authorities in their propaganda material.

Furthermore, the maps issued by Azerbaijan are, first, drawn on a distorted scale, as Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent territories, in comparison with the neighboring regions, are drawn larger than they are in reality, and second, the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azeri military is drawn more eastward than the real borders of conflict: a fact which is easily verified when the Azeri maps are compared with the military and other maps used by the OSCE Minsk Group. Notwithstanding the above-mentioned distortions, the area of the occupied territories is overstated.

Curing the military actions, the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh seized 5 districts of Azerbaijani Republic (Lachin, Kelbajar, Koubatly, Zangelan and Jebrail), as well as approximately 30% of Agdam and Fizuly regions.

According to Azerbaijani data, the area and population of the said regions are as follows:

(Sources:

• Data of the Ministry of Defense of the AR, disseminated by the Embassy of the AR
  in the Russian Federation in the autumn of 1994;
• 1989 census in the USSR
• Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic: Administrative-Territorial Division.
  Azgosizdat. Baku 1979;
• Mukhalifat (Azeri newspaper) 03.04.1996, etc.)

The total area of the first five districts is 6,330 sq.km. The total area of Agdam and Fizuly regions is 2,480 sq.km. However the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh controls only 35% of Agdam and 25% of Fizuly regions, i.e. respectively 383 and 347 sq. km. Hence, the figure of 8,780 sq. km. of occupied territories, claimed by the Azeri side, is also a fabrication.

The total area of the territories of the Azerbaijani Republic, controlled by NKR, is not 8,780sq.km. It is 7,059 sq. km. which is 8% of the area of the former Azerbaijani SSR, i.e. it is 2.5 times smaller than 20%, a figure constantly mentioned by the leaders and representatives of Azerbaijani Republic, deliberately misleading the international community and world public opinion.

Whereas Azerbaijan occupies 15% of the territories of NKR.

Refugees and Displaced Persons in Azerbaijan

Between 1988-1989, 168,000 thousand Azeris left Armenia. (These figured are based on the official figures for Azeris living in Armenia in the beginning of 1988, although Baku arbitrarily speaks of some 200 or even 250 thousand Azeris) Most of these 168,000, who left Armenia 8-10 months after of the pogrom of Armenians in Sumgait and forced deportation of 350,000 thousand Armenians from the AzSSR, were able to exchange or sell their houses, which were built in rural areas. The rest received financial compensation (a total of 72 million rubles or about 100 million USD) from the government of Armenia (to date Armenian refugees have received no compensation).

Virtually all of the Azeri population, 40,600 people or 21.5% of the population of the former NKAR (according to the 1989 USSR census) left former NKAR during the military actions in 1991-1992. It should be mentioned that Azerbaijan deliberately overstates the number of the Azeri population of the former NKAR, speaking of 60 thousand people or about a third of the population.

The Azeri population of the Shahoumian region stayed to live at their homes in all of the four Azeri villages situated along the border, in the northern and eastern parts of the region (where the Karabakh-Azeri front-line passed through in 1992-93). The Azeri population living on the territories adjacent to the northern Nagorno Karabakh and in the populated areas of the northern Nagorno Karabakh did not suffer either; whereas 83,000 Karabakh Armenians were deported in 1988-91. Moreover, more than 100,000 Azeri refugees were housed in the abandoned homes and apartments of Armenians, who were driven out of the northern part of Nagorno Karabakh. (According to the 1989 USSR census, the average Azeri family in the AzSSR consisted of 5.6 individuals and the average Armenian family in the AzSSR, 3.85 individuals. Moreover, as a result of 70 years of discriminatory policies against Armenians in AzSSR, there were many empty Armenian houses in Azerbaijan. The owners of these houses had left for Armenia, Russia or other republics of the USSR earlier)

According to Azerbaijani data cited above, the population of the seven districts that have been either entirely or partially occupied by the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh, totaled to 483,900 in 1989. Taking into account that the Agdam and Fizuly regions are occupied partially, the total number of displaced persons from these regions constituted about 420,000; of which 45,000, again, according to the Azerbaijani data, returned to their homes in 1997. Thus, of the total number of the inhabitants of the mentioned 7 regions, only 375,000 are refugees and displaced persons (40,000 of these refugees and displaced persons have left for Russia. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, 1,5 m. Azeris, citizens of Azerbaijan, currently live in Russia)

The total number of Azeri refugees and displaced persons should be calculated by adding to the aforementioned figures the number of refugees from Armenia (168,000, who, as stated earlier, either exchanged their houses or received compensation for their property, and would not qualify as refugees) and from Nagorno Karabakh (40,000).

Thus, as a result of the NK conflict, there are 583,000 refugees and displaced persons in Azerbaijan, comprising 7.9% of the officially declared population of Azerbaijan. Claims about a million refugees in Azerbaijan are propagandistic falsification like the claim about 20% occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

It should be recalled that one-third of the NKR population are refugees and displaced persons. According to the data from the Republic of Armenia, refugees make up 12% of the population of Armenia. Apart from this, 300,000 individuals remained without shelter after the 1988 earthquake, while blockade has been imposed on Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey, which is one of the OSCE Minsk Group countries.

Main Comparative Data

(percent)

[1] The territory historically and ethnically considered as Armenian covers a considerably larger area, including the northern part of Nagorno Karabakh where prior to 1988 the population was predominantly Armenian.

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