ICJ issues orders in Armenia-Azerbaijan case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued Tuesday, December 6 its orders in the case between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which accuse each other of racial discrimination, especially during their war in autumn 2020. In September, the two countries had filed appeals almost simultaneously with the highest court of the United Nations, which sits in The Hague, asking to take action pending the resolution of the full case, which will take years.

Read alsoNew outbreak of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan

During a public session which will begin at 3 p.m. (2 p.m. GMT),

, announced the highest court of the United Nations in a press release. The ICJ specified that the ordinance will be read during a public session which will

, brought by Yerevan against Baku. Parties who have agreed to let the ICJ settle their disputes are obliged to follow its decisions, but the Court has no way of enforcing them.

The two former Soviet republics waged a short but bloody war in the fall of 2020 for control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which left 6,500 dead.

Defeated, Armenia was forced to sign a ceasefire and cede several Azerbaijani regions it controlled around this separatist region.

Since then, tensions have remained high and several incidents have raised fears of a resumption of fighting.

Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of violating an international treaty, the CERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), especially in the context of their recent conflict.

To read also "Let us not forget the Armenian Karabakh, one year after the war!"

During the hearings held in October before the ICJ, Azerbaijan had notably accused Armenia of continuing to lay mines as part of its campaign of

, despite the end of the war. Yerevan, for its part, accused Azerbaijan of fueling ethnic hatred towards the Armenian population, asking the ICJ to take urgent measures to protect the Armenians, while the request is studied.

Azerbaijan said on Saturday it released ten Armenian soldiers captured last month in renewed fighting, following talks mediated by Russia.

Armenia in return handed over minefield maps.

The exchange followed a rare meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Russia, during which Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev agreed to ease their tensions and resolve their differences.