A U.S. law firm, Kerkonian Dajani, has filed a complaint with the National Contact Point in the United Kingdom accusing the global architectural firm Chapman Taylor of violating the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 

The complaint, submitted on behalf of the Avan Shushi Partnership, alleges that Chapman Taylor's redesign of the town of Shushi in Nagorno-Karabakh has “not only failed to mitigate but also contributed to the adverse human rights impacts on the indigenous Armenian population,” of the town. Shushi holds a significant importance for both nations. 

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are government-endorsed recommendations aimed at guiding multinational companies on responsible business conduct. Covering areas such as human rights and cultural rights, these guidelines encourage sustainable development and ensure respect for people, communities, and the environment, encourage companies to respect the culture, traditions, and values of the communities they operate in and advise them to avoid actions that could cause cultural harm, such as destroying cultural heritage or disrespecting local customs. 

The OECD Guidelines are in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and stress the importance of respecting indigenous peoples' rights, including their cultural and land rights.

Almost immediately after Azerbaijan recaptured parts of territories of Nagorno-Karabakh in the 2020 war, Baku announced ambitious reconstruction plans for these territories. 

At a meeting with UK Minister for Exports Graham Stuart in May of 2021, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev invited British companies to invest in territories recaptured by Azerbaijan. Several other high-ranking British officials held meetings with Azerbaijani political leadership. As the UK deepened business ties with Azerbaijan, it also promoted British investment in the reconstruction of recaptured territories in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Chapman Taylor, established in the UK, secured a $2.4 million contract from Azerbaijan to develop a new master plan for the city of Shushi.

The Director of Chapman Taylor Marcelina Zielinska took part in Azerbaijan National Urban Forum in October of  2022. “We are very impressed by the ambitious plans of the Azerbaijani government to revive these lands," she said in a statement during the event. According to her, the company would also work in Jabrayil.

Marcelina Zielinska at a Nagorno-Karabakh reconstruction forum | source: trend.az

Chapman Taylor had previously worked on other large-scale projects in Azerbaijan, such as Ganjilik Mall - Azerbaijan’s biggest mall, Deniz Mall, the Port Baku Towers and the K Residence luxury apartment complex.

The UK architectural firm also worked with an Azerbaijany company Pasha Holding. Investigative journalists revealed Ilham Aliyev’s family, namely his daughters Leyla and Arzu, had stakes in some of the construction projects of the local firm.

The Krekorian Dajani complaint alleges that Chapman Taylor played an active role in deciding the fate of various structures within Shushi, including marking buildings and homes for demolition.

The firm alleges that Chapman Taylor's violations occurred during Azerbaijan's systematic erasure of Armenian people, culture, and heritage in Shushi, and that the firm failed to use its influence to mitigate these adverse human rights impacts, as required by the OECD Guidelines.

Human rights defenders have used the OECD complaint mechanism to seek accountability measures on multinational enterprises.

Karnig Kerkonian, Partner at Kerkonian Dajani, said Azerbaijan’s impunity “is patently unmitigated” as Azerbaijan has been openly engaged in a state campaign to remove the indigenous Armenian people, their heritage and history from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Top photo: Ilham Aliyev at an event revealing the newly developed master plan of Shushi. Source: president.az