Freedom House released a comprehensive report detailing the “systematic campaign of violence, intimidation, and deprivation of basic rights that led to the forced displacement of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh." The report spans the period from the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020 through the Azerbaijani military offensive in September 2023 and its aftermath, addressing the question of why no ethnic Armenians remain in Nagorno-Karabakh as of May 2024.

The findings are based on an international fact-finding mission involving hundreds of witness interviews and extensive open-source data analysis. The report concludes that the Azerbaijani state “executed a deliberate and methodical strategy to expel the Armenian population and erase its historical and cultural presence from the region.”

Significant findings include:

Frequent Attacks: Azerbaijani forces subjected ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh to continuous attacks, fostering a climate of constant fear and insecurity.

Intimidation Tactics: Various forms of intimidation were employed by the Azerbaijani state to coerce Armenians into leaving, including threats and harassment.

Denial of Basic Rights: Armenians were systematically denied basic human rights, such as access to food, water, and healthcare.

Unbearable Living Conditions: Living conditions were intentionally worsened, contributing to the forced displacement of the Armenian community.

Mass Exodus: These cumulative measures resulted in the mass departure of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

The report emphasizes that these actions were "part of a coordinated strategy aimed at ethnically cleansing Nagorno-Karabakh of its Armenian population.”

This fact-finding report was collaboratively prepared by Freedom House, International Partnership for Human Rights, Democracy Development Foundation, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly - Vanadzor, Protection of Rights without Borders NGO, Law Development and Protections Foundation, and Truth Hounds.