World Court says Azerbaijan must let ethnic Armenians return to Nagorno-Karabakh

Judges at the World Court on Friday ordered Azerbaijan to allow ethnic Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh in September to return, and to keep the remaining Armenians in the enclave safe as part of a set of emergency measures.

The International Court of Justice ruled Azerbaijan must enable anyone who wanted to return to Nagorno-Karabakh to do so in a "safe, unimpeded and expeditious manner". 

The International Court of Justice has ruled that Azerbaijan must ensure security of all people, including Armenians, in Nagorno-Karabakh, Joan Donoghue, the court’s president, said on Friday.

Thus, Azerbaijan must guarantee that it would not use force or intimidate those who have opted to stay in Nagorno-Karabakh after September 19 or have returned there and want to stay. Azerbaijan must also ensure swift, safe and unimpeded return of those who left Nagorno-Karabakh after September 19 and wants to return and the exit of those who wants to leave.

The document also binds Azerbaijan to protect people’s registration data and documents on private property in the region.