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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been present in the region since 1992 in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Through its delegations in Yerevan and Baku and the mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ICRC acts as a neutral intermediary between the parties to the conflict to address issues of primary humanitarian concern. In Armenia, the organization focuses on civilians living along the international border, missing persons and their families, mine victims and people deprived of their liberty. In addition, the ICRC promotes the dissemination and implementation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) among national authorities, academics and military personnel. Its key partner in Armenia is the Armenian Red Cross Society with whom the ICRC coordinates activities aimed at assisting people affected by the conflict.

THE ICRC CLARIFIES THE FATE OF THE MISSING

Since 1992, the ICRC works on the issue of missing people and the plight of their families. Under International Humanitarian Law, parties to a conflict must do all possible to clarify the fate and whereabouts of people who went missing. In line with its mandate, the ICRC assists the sides with its expertise, and by acting as neutral intermediary. In Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, the organization works closely with Commissions on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People and with families of missing persons.

Clarification of the fate is a complex process which comprises several components. The ICRC gathered detailed data on each registered missing person from the family and handed it over for further processing to the Commissions in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. In 2015, the ICRC provided the sides an updated list containing around 4,500 names of the missing people of all ethnic origin registered by its delegations in Baku and Yerevan and the mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Since 2014, the ICRC has started collecting biological reference samples from close relatives of the missing. Collected in the form of buccal swabs, these samples are selectively sent to an independent laboratory for DNA profiling. In the future, this data can serve as a complementary tool in identification of human remains when the remains are discovered or exhumed. In Armenia, the ICRC works on this in cooperation with the Armenian Red Cross and jointly with the Ministry of Defense and the Armenian Scientific Practical Centre of Forensic Medicine.

THE ICRC SUPPORTS FAMILIES OF MISSING PEOPLE

In their daily lives, many of families of the missing face different economic, social, legal and other challenges. Most of all, however, they continue to search for answers, fight for recognition, talk about their missing relative, not letting him or her disappear completely in ambiguity and silence.

Since 2011, the ICRC jointly with the Armenian Red Cross specialists and other local partners, has launched a comprehensive Accompaniment program. As part of it, regular group meetings were organized for the families to address their issues with specialists, and to have a chance for peer interaction. For those unable to attend group meetings, the ICRC made home visits to carry out needs assessment and offer psychological support and problem-solving counselling.

Rituals, commemoration events and memorials aim to help families with missing relatives. They help them to find meaning in their loss, and reaffirm that the family has not abandoned their loved one, while keeping the memory alive. The organization helped the families organize various commemoration and cultural events, where they got together to share memories about their missing loved ones. These included tree planting and writing of memory books, exhibitions of tapestry made by wives of the missing and visits to cultural and historical sites around Armenia.

Economic support to families of the missing goes hand-in-hand with psychosocial assistance. Since 2011, in cooperation with the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia the ICRC has carried out a housing assistance project for vulnerable households. Through a revolving fund, the identified families received interest-free loans aimed to improve their housing conditions. Other families of the missing received ICRC loans to start small business as well as cash assistance for household needs, training and counselling. The ICRC cooperate on these projects with the Armenian Red Cross, local authorities, organizations and communities. As the project started in 2012, 225 families have benefited from various types of our economic support activities, with 33 supported in 2016.

In addition, the ICRC provides support to people who suffered mine incidents living in different regions of Armenia to deal with their multiple economic, legal, administrative and physiological challenges. Their issues are addressed jointly by the ICRC Delegation in Armenia, the Armenian Red Cross and other local partners. The ICRC provides loans for mine victims and their families to help them start small businesses. To some of them, we offer cash for household needs and provide training and counselling. Last year grants were given out to launch income-generating activities or unconditional cash assistance for household needs to 11 particularly vulnerable families of mine victims in Armenia.

THE ICRC ACTS AS A NEUTRAL INTERMEDIARY

Being neutral and impartial, the ICRC is capable of offering its humanitarian assistance in conflict situations and to affected people, including prisoners of war and civilian internees. Based on its mandate enshrined in Geneva Conventions, the ICRC has special prerogatives to access and assist these persons in times of armed conflicts. At the same time, this role does not involve negotiating the release of detainees of all sides of conflicts and may only be enacted at the request of the concerned parties.

Since 1992, the ICRC has visited prisoners of war and civilians deprived of their liberty in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We help to ensure that they are able to maintain contact with their families and we facilitate their transfer and repatriation on both sides of the international border and the Line of Contact.

The ICRC also monitors and documents alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). These violations include incidents such as the killing or wounding of civilians, or significant property damages. To address such cases, the ICRC maintains its confidential dialogue with the parties to the conflict, highlighting their IHL commitments to distinguish between military and civilian targets, and applying proportional use of force according to military necessity.

THE ICRC PROMOTES IHL LEARNING AND NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION

To promote the national implementation of International Humanitarian Law, the ICRC maintains its regular dialogue with relevant national authorities of Armenia. The organization offers expert support and technical assistance to keep on agenda some of the most contemporary issues of IHL integration.

Last year, for instance, in cooperation with local experts, the ICRC Delegation in Armenia provided analysis and recommendations to the working group on the Criminal Code, which would align the new Armenian law with IHL standards and requirements.

With the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, working in the scope of a yearly cooperation plan, the ICRC organizes different sessions and workshops. Military officers, instructors, peacekeepers and receive knowledge about IHL and its integration into military planning and decision-making during workshops and training sessions. The ICRC also supports the participation of representatives of the Armenian Armed Forces in training and exchange on a regional and international level.

THE ICRC VISITS PERSONS DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIBERTY

Based on its mission, and its right to humanitarian initiative to protect and assist the victims of situations not amounting to armed conflict, established by the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the ICRC takes action whenever it can to improve the treatment and conditions of people deprived of their liberty. In Armenia, the Delegation works in internal detention to support people held in civilian places of detention, whose detention is not related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The ICRC cooperates with the Ministry of Justice, the Criminal Executive Department, prisons’ administration and other related structures in Armenia.

The detention activities focus on visits to and follow up with vulnerable categories of detainees, including those sentenced to life imprisonment, foreigners who lack family contact and support, and detainees with individual health needs.

In 2016, the ICRC made 21 visits to various detention places, renovated and equipped a fitness room in Nubarashen prison, and provided eyeglasses to life-sentenced detainees. Currently under discussion with the state authorities is the possibility of setting up online video calls for foreign detainees who lack family contacts.