Armenia: Public environmental court recognises that poor conservation of Nahatak tailing dump led to environmental disaster, socio-economic crisis & harmed human health
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Feb 2020
Location: Armenia
Companies
Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine - Parent CompanyProjects
Nahatak tailing dump - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Community: ( Number unknown - Armenia , Mining , Gender not reported )Issues
Clean, Healthy & Sustainable EnvironmentResponse
Response sought: No
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Feb 2020
Location: Armenia
Companies
Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine - Parent CompanyProjects
Nahatak tailing dump - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Community: ( Number unknown - Armenia , Mining , Gender not reported )Issues
Impacts on Livelihoods , Economic, Social, and Cultural RightsResponse
Response sought: No
Source type: NGO
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Feb 2020
Location: Armenia
Companies
Akhtala Ore Dressing Combine - Parent CompanyProjects
Nahatak tailing dump - OperationAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Community: ( Number unknown - Armenia , Mining , Gender not reported )Issues
Personal HealthResponse
Response sought: No
Source type: NGO
Public environmental court sent case on continuous impact of Nahatak tailing dump to RA Prime Minister and RA Chief Prosecutor, 16 March 2020
The verdict of Public Environmental Court on the continuous impact of Nahatak Tailing Dump on the environment and human health was sent to RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and RA Prosecutor General Artur Davtyan...
The Public Environmental Court ruled:
- To recognize the violations related to the granting of permits to Nahatak Tailing Dump, its non-conservation and non-reclaiming, the offences in regard to its control and monitoring that have led to environmental disaster and socio-economic crisis in Armenia and the region, harmed human health, as a crime directed against the state.
- To hold the following bodies liable for the current situation: RA Government, RA Environment Ministry, RA Emergency Situations Ministry, RA Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Ministry, RA Health Ministry, local self-government bodies, RA law enforcement bodies, as well as Akhtala OPC CJSC.
- To hold accountable also those officials of Akhtala OPC CJSC who, through their inactions, abuse of power, excessive authority, negligence, have contributed to the violation of ecosystem balance in Armenia and the region, contamination of water and land areas, and deforestation and landscape elimination, violations of human rights and harming health, deterioration of socio-economic status, violations of RA legislation and international norms.