Human Rights Defender on the Situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan Border

The Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan states: “The Azerbaijani authorities bear responsibility for the killing of two Armenian servicemen and for causing harm to the health of other servicemen, as well as for disrupting the safety of the Armenian civilian population.

Today, around 17:30, the staff of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia received alerts that the Azerbaijani armed forces have opened particularly intense fire towards the positions of the Armenian Armed Forces located near the villages of Norabak, Verin Shorja, and Nerkhin Shorja in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia. Artillery fire was also heard in the village of Kut.”

The facts gathered by the Human Rights Defender's office confirm that the fire is being directed primarily from Azerbaijani positions that are located within the sovereign territory of Armenia. This concerns incursions from May 2021. Those positions are in close proximity to Armenian villages, on pasture lands, arable lands, and hayfields that rightfully belong to the residents and are devoid of any legal basis.

Today’s Azerbaijani attacks, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, have occurred using artillery and drones. The aggressive fire is directly adjacent to Armenian villages, posing a real threat to the life and safety of the civilian population as well as to other vital rights. People have sought refuge in basements in several locations for safety reasons.

Therefore, the Armenian Armed Forces are directly protecting the lives and health of the Armenian civilian population and ensuring people’s safety. The Azerbaijani authorities are acting in blatant violation of international regulations and bear responsibility for the crimes of killing two Armenian servicemen in Gegharkunik today, violating their right to life, causing harm to the health of wounded servicemen, and for disrupting the safety of the civilian population and aggression against the people.”