Ombudsman's Team Conducts Urgent Fact-Finding in Nerkhin Hand

The working group dispatched to the Syunik province (Nerkhin Hand settlement) has conducted urgent fact-finding activities. This was reported by the Armenian Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan on her Facebook page.

"The information gathered by the Syunik regional division of the Human Rights Defender's office has been crucial for the fact-finding work, as prior to receiving public alerts, our regional representatives had maintained constant communication with the Kapan municipality, including the administrative head of Nerkhin Hand. The fact-finding working group met with the administrative head of the settlement and residents during their visit, observing the cemetery, the memorial dedicated to the victims of the Great Patriotic War, and the areas adjacent to the locality known as Shintagh, documenting the issues residents face in exercising their rights.

As a result of discussions and exchanges, it was recorded that the deployment of Azerbaijani armed forces in early March 2022 near the Nerkhin Hand cemetery, around the memorial to the victims of the Great Patriotic War, and on the nearby hill known as Shintagh, including the installation of several tents and the construction of new roads from their positions, are recent developments. Residents indicated that they had not noticed Azerbaijani servicemen or any positions in the mentioned areas before, noting that just two months ago they had gathered wood from that territory. Moreover, according to residents, the first to spot the Azerbaijani servicemen was the village shepherd.

In the current situation, it is important to note that the primary occupations of Nerkhin Hand residents are livestock breeding and agriculture. The new positioning by Azerbaijani armed forces has placed the cemetery, the memorial to the victims of the Great Patriotic War, the church, and a significant portion of the village’s pastures—approximately 50 hectares—under direct targeting and observation, as well as several farmers’ arable lands and orchards. This situation has created serious difficulties for residents engaged in livestock breeding and agriculture in securing their livelihoods.

While there are no panic-stricken sentiments in the village, residents are in a state of uncertainty regarding the created situation. The working group also recorded that on March 16, 2022, regional authorities, including the Syunik province governor and representatives from the Ministry of Defense command staff, met with residents in Nerkhin Hand. Furthermore, during these days, the Kapan municipality mayor and his deputies have been holding regular meetings with the residents.

During the visit, the working group also had meetings with the Kapan municipality mayor, the Syunik province administration, and other relevant officials. The results and conclusions from the visit by the Human Rights Defender's representatives, as well as suggestions for resolving the mentioned and other issues, have been forwarded to the Government. The Human Rights Defender will continue to pursue resolutions to the concerns of residents in border settlements, including those in Nerkhin Hand," noted the Human Rights Defender’s office.