Arman Tatoyan Issues Statement

Arman Tatoyan, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, has issued a statement in which he says:

“For me, during the past year of 2021, there have been serious threats to the rights and security of our country's population:

1. High-ranking officials have declared that the Azerbaijani armed forces, which have appeared near our villages and along our roads, have their bases on Azerbaijani territory and that Armenia cannot do anything about it. One of them even stated that without delimitation and demarcation, we can consider the issue of the ownership of those road segments resolved.
2. These officials have grossly violated their official status with such statements, endangering human life and other vital rights, causing harm to security. I also refer to the protection of our soldiers, border guards, and police who defend the population from the criminal acts of Azerbaijani armed forces.
3. The statements of these officials have legalized the criminal acts of Azerbaijan against the population of Armenia and have created long-term obstacles to the protection of our population's rights and security.
4. These high-ranking officials have made such statements at least to prevent or mitigate internal political dissatisfaction against themselves. This is a classic example of how, based on political interests, harm can be done to national security and human rights.
5. These high-ranking officials must understand that any such statement is viewed precisely from the perspective I mentioned, and they should refrain from making similar statements in the future. No one has the right to commit acts that endanger our rights and security. Period.

P.S. Azerbaijani armed forces have committed and continue to commit atrocities against our compatriots, but the state has the obligation to protect people, and officials have no right to undermine that.”