Political analyst: Azerbaijan has shown the world that justice can be restored independently

Against the backdrop of existing international realities, Azerbaijan has set a real example of fighting to the very end for the restoration of justice and achieving this goal without any foreign military intervention. Until now, the resolution of conflicts and the cessation of wars worldwide have largely depended on mediation by stronger third parties or direct support from the international community.

Political analyst Asif Narimanli stated this in a comment to The Daily Baku.

The analyst noted that the punishment of individuals who committed war crimes has, in most cases, been carried out through international tribunals and mechanisms. “If we recall the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, we can see that bringing some war criminals to justice at that time was possible only with international support. History contains many similar examples,” Asif Narimanli emphasized.

According to him, Azerbaijan is one of the rare countries in this regard. “Azerbaijan liberated its territories on its own, ended the conflict independently, and compelled individuals who committed grave crimes against our people during the First and Second Karabakh wars to answer before national courts. Moreover, all this took place amid serious external pressure,” he said.

The political analyst stressed that these outcomes are a logical continuation of the decisive and consistent policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev. “Even before the war, President Ilham Aliyev openly declared that Azerbaijan would liberate its lands, that the state flag would be raised in Karabakh, and that those who committed crimes against our people would receive their deserved punishment. Each of these promises was fulfilled step by step,” Asif Narimanli noted.

He added that during the 44 day Patriotic War, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, and at the subsequent stage fully ensured its state sovereignty. “Later, individuals who committed crimes against our people were brought to justice. As a result of court proceedings, war crimes were proven and the perpetrators received deserved punishment. This was not merely a legal process, but the actual establishment of justice,” the analyst emphasized.

According to Asif Narimanli, Azerbaijan has thereby created an important precedent at the international level. “Azerbaijan proved that it is possible to enforce norms of international law that are not implemented by the international community. It is not mandatory to wait for an international tribunal in order to bring war criminals to trial and ensure justice,” he said.

The analyst believes that this precedent is particularly significant for countries that are currently in conflict or whose territorial integrity has been violated. “If international courts are unable or unwilling to punish war criminals, national courts can assume this responsibility. Azerbaijan’s experience has clearly demonstrated this,” Asif Narimanli added.

According to him, states that may face similar situations in the future will refer to the precedent created by Azerbaijan and will at least strive to achieve the same outcome. “This is not only Azerbaijan’s achievement, but also an important message regarding the real functioning of international law,” the political analyst concluded.