International Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Crime of Genocide, Honoring Their Dignity and Preventing This Crime (09/12)

In September 2015, the UN General Assembly, by its resolution (A/RES/69/323), decided to proclaim December 9 as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime). The date was chosen due to the fact that on this day in 1948 the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The resolution was adopted at the 103rd plenary meeting of the 69th session by consensus and was approved by 80 member countries of the Assembly. The initiative was based on the provisions of the resolution presented by Armenia on the prevention of genocides, adopted at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council held on March 27 of this year in Geneva. This resolution is aimed at complementing Armenia's efforts aimed at stimulating and consolidating international activities in the fight against the crime of genocide.

Today, the fact of the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 is recognized by many states, as well as by the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches. The persecution and persecution of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire began as early as the late 19th century, and by 1915 they had reached a peak when more than 1.5 million people were killed.

Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE countries, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said: «As a people who have experienced the catastrophe of genocide, we have a moral obligation to contribute to international efforts to prevent crimes against humanity». He also emphasized that 2015 marked the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide – of the first genocide of the 20th century, and then the whole world condemned this crime and expressed its solidarity and support for the Armenian people.

Armenia cannot remain indifferent to the repetition of such crimes by any terrorist groups, which is why it took the initiative to establish this day. The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, in his speech at the UN General Assembly, noted that genocide is the most brutal crime of humanity, which caused the death of a million people: «We are confident that the international day will become an important platform for preventing such atrocities in the future».

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines genocide as « acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, any national, ethnic, racial or religious group...». The Convention reaffirms that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or war, is a crime that violates international law and against which the parties to the Convention undertake to « take preventive measures and punish its commission».

The primary responsibility for preventing and suppressing genocide rests with the state in which this crime is committed. It was also noted that an important factor in preventing genocide is the fight against impunity for this crime.

By adopting this resolution without a vote, all 193 Member States thereby reaffirmed that each individual State is responsible for protecting its population from genocide, and that such responsibility involves preventing this crime, including incitement to it.

Therefore, the purpose of this Day – is to raise the visibility of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and its role in the fight against genocide and the prevention of this crime as defined in the Convention, and to remember and honor the memory of the people who are victims of it. Because today genocide continues to pose a global threat to the world community.

1615