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Armenian Assembly urges U.S. sanctions and security, requests humanitarian and security assistance for Armenia
Summary
The Armenian Assembly of America asked Congress to enforce statutory restrictions on aid to Azerbaijan, impose sanctions, and provide $50 million in security assistance and $250 million in humanitarian aid for displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh.
Talin Yakubian of the Armenian Assembly of America told the subcommittee that Azerbaijan is continuing to occupy territory, detain political prisoners and erase Armenian cultural heritage, and urged Congress to enforce existing law and provide new assistance to Armenia and displaced people.
Why it matters: The witness asked Congress to revoke the waiver under section 907 of the Freedom Support Act that permits aid to Azerbaijan, impose Global Magnitsky Act sanctions for human-rights violations, and provide $50,000,000 in security assistance and $250,000,000 in humanitarian assistance to support displaced people and help ensure their right of return.
Yakubian said that more than 20,000 people were forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh and described ongoing threats to Armenia's sovereignty, urging immediate action by Congress to support Armenia’s security and humanitarian needs.
Ending: The witness concluded by saying that all USAID programs in Armenia had been terminated; the subcommittee did not take formal action during the hearing.
