Urgent Letter from Taguhi Tovmasyan to International Partners

The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs of the RA National Assembly, Taguhi Tovmasyan, wrote on her Facebook page:

"On March 26, around 10:00 AM, while carrying out pruning and cleaning works in the vine gardens of the area known as 'Khrzazen Tak' in the Martuni region of Artsakh, random gunfire was opened from the enemy's positions towards residents of Sos village, Razmik Harutyunyan and Yervand Balayan.

On the same day, around 11:00 AM, residents of Tagavard village, Vova Khachatryan and Ruben Alaverdyan, while performing agricultural works in the wheat field of the area called 'Shekheri Eres,' came under fire from Azerbaijani soldiers.

Various firearms were randomly fired from adjacent Azerbaijani combat positions towards the citizens of Artsakh. Agricultural activities were halted.

On the same day, around 11:30 AM, while carrying out agricultural works in the pomegranate garden belonging to Alyosha Zakaryan in the administrative territory of Martakert city, workers were also targeted by random gunfire from Azerbaijani combat positions.

On March 25, Azerbaijan crossed the contact line with the armed forces of the Republic of Artsakh and achieved certain positional advances in the territory of the Republic of Artsakh, towards the Stepanakert-Lisagor dirt road.

On March 27, around 9:00 AM, Azerbaijani Armed Forces attempted again to advance from one of the heights adjacent to the Stepanakert-Lisagor dirt road. Thanks to the preventive actions of the servicemen performing combat duty in that section, the attempt of the Azerbaijani unit to advance was halted.

Through these actions, Azerbaijan is trying to sever the only connection between Stepanakert and several villages in the Shushi region, while targeting civilians, undermining the life of the people of Artsakh, their right to peaceful coexistence, and attempting to create an atmosphere of fear.

Disregarding the decision of the International Court of Justice and the essential provisions of international humanitarian law, Azerbaijan, by violating the commitments undertaken by the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, is challenging the entire international legal order.

Given the above, I have sent urgent letters to my international partners, requesting them to exert their full mandate to mediate efforts aimed at the immediate unblocking of the Berdzor corridor and to restrain Azerbaijan's genocidal policies. At the same time, I have asked them to issue public critical statements regarding Azerbaijan's criminal behavior."