Putting remedial secession back on the table to reverse the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh

Abstract

In the wake of the forced dissolution of the de facto Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and the ensuing ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population, international legal mechanisms have proven insufficient in addressing and reversing the egregious human rights violations committed. This article reevaluates the doctrine of remedial secession, arguing its necessity as a countermeasure to such violations, particularly in the context of unrecognized states like Nagorno-Karabakh. Through a detailed analysis of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the Armenian accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, this article highlights the shortcomings of the international community’s response and proposes remedial secession not only as a theoretical framework but as a practical necessity. Furthermore, this article discusses the implications of remedial secession in light of the Responsibility to Protect principle, emphasizing the need for a human rights-based approach to international conflicts that transcend traditional sovereignty and territorial integrity debates. This article draws on a comprehensive review of international law, human rights.