Swiss parliamentarian Erich Vontobel and former Nagorno Karabakh human rights ombudsman outside the UN in Geneva. csi
September 19, 2025 marked two years since Azerbaijani troops invaded the Armenian Christian region of Nagorno Karabakh forcibly displacing its 120,000-strong population.
In a statement timed to coincide with the anniversary, CSI International President John Eibner referred to Azerbaijan’s actions as “one of the most thorough ethnic cleansing operations in recent history.” Yet, “Azerbaijan has to date faced no consequences for its campaign to erase the Armenian population – and even the memory – of Nagorno Karabakh,” Eibner pointed out.
While welcoming the steps taken recently towards a bilateral peace between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, Eibner warned that “attempts to build a lasting peace on ethnic cleansing and appeasement of aggression are unlikely to succeed.”
“We recommit ourselves to solidarity with the displaced people of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh – to ensuring their right to return to their homeland, to securing freedom for those Armenians still held captive by Azerbaijan, and to preserving Karabakh’s priceless Christian heritage,” the statement concluded.
Right of return key to a lasting peace
Ten days later, CSI held an event on the sidelines of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva at which Swiss parliamentarians Erich Vontobel and Nicolas Walder promoted the Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno Karabakh.
A motion passed by the Swiss parliament earlier this year mandates the federal government to hold a peace forum between Azerbaijan and representatives of the displaced Karabakh Armenians.
Vontobel told the assembly that a core aspect of the Swiss initiative is the right of return of the displaced population of Nagorno Karabakh. “The Swiss Peace Initiative seeks to remind the international community that this problem has not yet been solved. And without a solution there can be no lasting peace,” the lawmaker said.
International support required
His parliamentary colleague Walder stressed that while the Swiss initiative was “a neutral, credible, and law-based framework to advance lasting peace,” it would only produce results with international recognition and the backing of other countries.
Peace negotiator Paul Williams argued that Switzerland could play a crucial role in bringing about peace. “The expertise exists in Switzerland to structure a very effective process for the return of refugees,” Williams said.
“Switzerland is the perfect country to bring Azerbaijan to the negotiating table within the context of broader international pressure,” he added.
In his presentation, Artak Beglaryan, the former human rights ombudsman of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, struck a personal note.
“I lost my father and my eyesight as a result of the 1990s war. I lost my mother due to those tragedies,” Beglaryan said. “Together with my two children, I have been forcibly displaced from my homeland and narrowly escaped Azerbaijani abduction.”
Despite that, Beglaryan said he did not hate the Azerbaijanis and still believed in the possibility of true peace and reconciliation – if the voices of the victims were heard and their rights respected.
“Nagorno Karabakh Armenians are ready to return home. What we need now is the world’s political will to make that return safe, dignified, unimpeded and sustainable,” he concluded.
Campaign to free Suleiman Khalil
In other advocacy news, CSI on September 9 launched a campaign on behalf of Suleiman Khalil, the former mayor of the Christian-majority town of Sadad in Homs province, Syria. As mayor Khalil organized the defense of Sadad when it came under attack by the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015, and he is viewed by locals as a hero.
“At a time when the whole world had abandoned Syria and especially Syria’s Christians, he took a stand to defend his townspeople against almost certain massacre at the hands of ISIS,” commented Joel Veldkamp, CSI’s Director for Public Advocacy.
The security forces of Syria’s new regime arrested Suleiman at his home in Sadad on February 8. Since then, he has been held in prison in Homs, without being charged with a crime, and without having access to a lawyer.
CSI is calling on its supporters to sign a petition to the Syrian foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, urging the government to release Suleiman Khalil.
