04.02.2025


On February 1, a professional seminar titled “Armenia and the International Criminal Court (ICC): One Year of Membership” was held at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. The seminar was organized jointly by the Union of International Lawyers of Armenia and the Museum-Institute. It brought together international law experts, legal professionals interested in international criminal law, individuals engaged in interdisciplinary studies, as well as professors and students.

The event began with a welcoming speech by Edita Gzoyan, Director of the Museum-Institute. Drawing historical parallels, Edita Gzoyan emphasized that after the Armenian Genocide, there was no international law or court to punish the perpetrators, but now the situation has changed. She expressed hope that Armenia's membership in the ICC would also provide a legal framework to fight for the rights of our compatriots forcibly displaced from Artsakh.

The first speaker of the seminar was Yegishe Kirakosyan, Representative for International Legal Affairs, who delivered a presentation titled "A Retrospective Review: The First Year of ICC Membership." He outlined the work done by the representative’s office during the period preceding Armenia's membership in the ICC and over the past year, Armenia’s approaches, challenges, and the prospects for cooperation with the ICC.

The seminar discussed a range of issues arising from Armenia’s membership in the ICC, including the forced displacement of Artsakh Armenians and its potential qualification as an international crime under the ICC’s jurisdiction, as well as the right of return.

At the same time, participants exchanged ideas on various issues in the field of international criminal law, addressing crimes of aggression, legal mechanisms for the protection of individuals from international crimes, as well as educational programs on international criminal law in Armenia. Speakers included Narek Abgaryan, founding president of the Union of International Lawyers of Armenia; Arpi Harutyunyan, Head of Justice and Human Rights Programs at the Democracy Development Foundation; and international law experts Ara Ghazaryan, Anna Melikyan, and Davit Khachatryan.