The Second Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers entitled “Ahead of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide” was held in Yerevan on 5-6 July 2013, at the sessions hall of the RA National Academy of Sciences. The forum was organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, in association with the Pan-Armenian Conference of Lawyers established after the First Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers.
The event brought together nearly 150 lawyers from Armenia, Artsakh and 17 countries, as well as high-ranking officials of Armenia.
The participants of the forum were the experts whose nominations were submitted and recommended by diplomatic representations of the Republic of Armenia, as well as those who:
1. have participated in the First Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers,
2. are members of the Pan-Armenian Conference of Lawyers organization,
3. are involved in issues related to the Armenian Genocide.
The following were discussed during the panel sessions:
1. Process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Armenian legal thought,
2. Key legal issues for the elimination of the consequences of the Armenian Genocide,
3. Legal issues related to the activities of regional committees established in the Diaspora ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, etc.
Among the speakers were Advisor of the RA Constitutional Court, President of the Center of Constitutional Law Gevorg Danielyan; RA Deputy Minister of Justice Yeghishe Kirakosyan; President of the National Congress of Western Armenians, French-Armenian international law expert Suren Seraydaryan; Argentinean-Armenian Professor of International Law Roberto Malkhasian; Iranian-Armenian lawyer Rita Avetisian; Russian-Armenian lawyers Karen Nersisyan and Simon Tsaturyan and other field experts.
The speakers discussed the issues on filing individual and collective lawsuits to courts for restitution of the properties of the inheritors of Armenian Genocide victims, as well as other issues related to legal succession and claims.
Summing up the forum, President of the RA Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan announced the creation of a special committee to make the package of legal documents on key issues related to the Armenian Genocide complete.
The participants had meetings with Armenian state officials and visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial.
The participants of the forum adopted a declaration, which reads as follows:
DECLARATION
adopted by the participants of the
Second Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers “Ahead of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide”
Attaching importance to the need of gearing the potential of Armenian lawyers around the world towards international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and elimination of the consequences;
Responding to the call of the State Commission in charge of Coordinating the Events Ahead of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide;
Welcoming the joint statement issued by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia on April 24th regarding recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, elimination of the consequences, as well as the return of Armenian churches, monasteries, church territories and spiritual and cultural assets to the rightful owners;
Appreciating the efforts made by Armenian and foreign lawyers in regard to key issues of genocides;
Discussing the key issues related to recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and elimination of the consequences in the limits of international law;
We the participants of the Second Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers address all Armenian lawyers and foreign experts of international law involved in solving key issues related to genocides.
We declare:
- We believe the major objective of Armenian lawyers is not to state the clear fact of Genocide, but to compile a list of complete and substantiated documents based on the views expressed during the forum, the existing studies and documents, as well as the norms and principles of international law in order to eliminate the consequences;
- Within the framework of the solution to legal issues, we will be collaborating with the State Commission in charge of Coordinating the Events Ahead of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide headed by the RA President and the committees established in the Armenian Diaspora;
- We will establish a special committee that will make the package of legal documents on key issues related to the Armenian Genocide complete.
Pan-Armenian Conference of Lawyers
Center of Constitutional Law of the RA
Union of Lawyers of the RA