The Armenian Bar Association honors the unifying spirit of sport. Mixed martial arts—and the UFC in particular—embody the highest ideals of discipline, mutual respect, courage, and perseverance. These values transcend borders and politics, bringing people together in a shared celebration of athletic excellence and human resilience.
We proudly count ourselves among the global fans of MMA and recognize the UFC’s powerful role in connecting diverse communities through sport.
However, as the UFC prepares to stage an event in Baku, Azerbaijan, we must raise a matter of grave concern.
Just beyond the arena, Armenian prisoners of war and civilians remain unjustly detained by Azerbaijan in clear violation of international law. Their ongoing captivity stands in direct contradiction to the values of fairness, dignity, and integrity that sports are meant to uphold.
This event also comes amid Azerbaijan’s increasingly aggressive policies toward Armenians and its troubling pattern of using high-profile cultural and sporting events to obscure a record of human rights abuses and evade international accountability. Most recently, in 2023, Azerbaijan carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), forcibly displacing over 120,000 people from their ancestral homeland.
As global attention turns to Baku, we urge the public not to look away from the broader context. While we cheer for the fighters inside the octagon, we must also speak up for those whose voices are silenced just beyond it.
We call on the international community—fans, athletes, organizations, and institutions—to remain vigilant. Celebrate the sport, yes—but also stand for justice, truth, and human rights.
Armenian Rights Watch Committee
For additional information about the Armenian Bar Association, please visit www.armenianbar.org.