Mario Nalbandian addresses U.N. Human Rights Council on behalf of the ARF and Socialist International

2026-03-13 - 15:15

Mario Nalpatian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s representative to the Socialist International and one of its vice presidents, delivered the following message on March 12 during the 61st session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Nalpatian addressed the council in his capacity as a representative of the Socialist International. Ladies and gentlemen, It is an honor for me to speak here on behalf of the Socialist International. At a time when the world is in turmoil, when international relations are strained and the rule of law is too often ignored, the Socialist International reaffirms its belief in a world that respects human rights and the rights of peoples, is dedicated to protecting and reinforcing our democracies. We stand for international relations grounded in principles, not force, in multilateral cooperation, implementation of the global development goals, fight against neocolonialist aspirations and limitation of the concentration of wealth, and for a global order in which genocides — whether in Gaza/Palestine, Darfur/Sudan, or Rohingya/Myanmar — are prevented, halted and punished. This vision is not naive; it is grounded in the hard lessons of history and in the enduring belief that human dignity must not be sacrificed to expediency or power politics. It is in this spirit that the council of the Socialist International, in its latest meeting in Malta in November 2025, adopted a resolution on the situation in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, asserting that the conflict can not be resolved by military means and for the process to be successful, it must include collective, voluntary, safe, dignified, unhindered and internationally guaranteed return of all those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh since the 2020 war and after Sept. 19, 2023, ensuring full protection from any form of intimidation or coercion. The Socialist International also calls for the immediate release of the remaining Armenian detainees in Baku, including former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh and for the prevention of the destruction or alteration of Armenian religious and cultural heritage in and around Nagorno-Karabakh and to safeguard the region’s historical legacy. The Socialist International, as a global organization, in these troubled and uncertain times, reiterates the need for respect for and compliance with international law and the United Nations Charter and considers their violation and all unilateral acts of war to be unacceptable.