Explores the historical and political roots of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, highlighting the unresolved grievances and human rights issues that served as early warnings for the subsequent violence. The region, known as Artsakh to Armenians, has an ancient Armenian presence dating back to the first millennium BC, with Caucasian Albanians merging culturally and religiously with Armenians by the seventh century. A pivotal moment occurred in 1921 when Joseph Stalin's influence led to the transfer of Nagorno-Karabakh to Soviet Azerbaijan as the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), despite earlier agreements for its incorporation into Soviet Armenia. This decision, potentially a sacrifice for broader Soviet strategic interests with Türkiye, left the NKAO geographically separated from Armenia. Throughout the Soviet period, NKAO Armenians faced systematic discrimination and subordination to Azerbaijani authorities, including deliberate isolation, cultural repression, and economic underdevelopment. Despite multiple unsuccessful petitions to Moscow for transfer to Soviet Armenia, these unaddressed grievances—concerning identity, security, and political access—created resentment that fueled the protracted conflict. The chapter emphasizes that the deprivation of human security needs and failure to redress injustice are key drivers of conflict