ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF
AMERICA

1032 15TH STREET, N.W. •
SUITE 416 • WASHINGTON, DC 20005 • 202.393.3434

MEDIA
ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Taleen Babayan

Director of Communications

201.693.3453

taleen@aaainc.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission will
hold a special hearing on the ongoing blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Lachin Corridor on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 from 1 pm to 3 pm on Capitol Hill.
Online streaming will be available here.

Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former Prosecutor of the International
Criminal Court, released his personal Expert
Opinion on August 7, stating that “there is a reasonable basis to believe
that a Genocide is being committed against Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh
in 2023” and emphasizing that under the Genocide Conventions all states have a “duty
to prevent” genocide.

At the hearing Mr. Ocampo will
present his Expert Opinion on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and David Philips,
Director of the Program on Peace-building and Human Rights at Columbia
University, will testify on facts relevant to gathering the intent of the
government of Azerbaijan, including documentation available on the web page “Atrocities
Artsakh.”

When: Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 1:00
pm EST.

Where: The event will be held on Capitol
Hill and will be available for streaming online.

Who: The Tom Lantos Human Rights
Commission Hearing featuring Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), host, Rep. Jim
McGovern (D-MA), host, Luis Moreno Ocampo, former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court,
and David L. Philips, Director of the Program on Peace-building and Human Rights
at Columbia University.

Interviews can be arranged with Armenian
Assembly of America Executive Director Bryan Ardouny – who recently traveled to
Armenia and observed the check-point at the Lachin Corridor – by contacting
Taleen Babayan at taleen@aaainc.org.

The Armenian Assembly of America, established in 1972, is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and
awareness of Armenian issues. The organization aims to strengthen U.S.-Armenia
relations, promote Armenia’s democratic development and economic prosperity,
and seeks universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide by way of research,
education, and advocacy.