Ombudsman of Armenia spoke about threats to residents of border areas  due to illegal actions of Azerbaijani armed forces  

ArmInfo. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan presented the results of his fact-finding work in Syunik and Gegharkunik on the rights of residents of the  borderlands at the meeting with Director of the Office of the  Directorate General of Programmes of the Council of Europe, Verena  Taylor and newly appointed Head of the CoE Yerevan Office Martina  Schmidt.

According to the press service of the Human Rights Defender, the  Ombudsman stressed that the Azerbaijani authorities are artificially  delaying and politicizing the process of release and return of  prisoners of war. He also touched upon the problem of internally  displaced persons from Artsakh as a result of the war in  September-November 2020, and the corresponding report of the  Ombudsman based on the collection of facts.

Arman Tatoyan stressed that during the period of the state of  emergency declared in connection with the new coronavirus (COVID-19),  a working group was formed in the ombudsman's office on the  protection of the rights of women, children, as well as the  prevention of domestic violence, since during this period, As studies  have shown, the risk of violence against women, children and the  elderly has increased, which is associated with specific  recommendations for the prevention of infections worldwide  (quarantine, remote work as a side effect, social problems, etc.).

The office of the Human Rights Defender also published a statement by  Tatoyan in connection with the murder of an Armenian contract soldier  in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia by the Azeri military yesterday:  "The Government of the Republic of Armenia must take practical steps  to guarantee rights of Armenia citizens, and the entire population of  Armenia; and the international community must cease its passive  stance and immediately take decisive measures to prevent the  blatantly illegal and criminal acts, the continuous human rights  violations, and the real threats of further violations by the  Azerbaijani armed forces.

In particular, the evidences gathered by the Human Rights Defender of  Armenia also confirm that on May 25,2021, the Azerbaijani servicemen  who are illegally located in Verin Shrozha village of Vardenis  community in the Gegharkunik province, a part of the sovereign  territory of Armenia, presented to the servicemen of the Armenian  armed forces blatantly illegal demands to abandon the area where they  were present, provoked a scuffle, and intentionally shot and killed  an Armenian serviceman.

According to the gathered evidence, in the days preceding todays  incident, the Azerbaijani armed servicemen regularly tried to provoke  clashes and organized fistfights, while illegally being in the  sovereign territory of Armenia. These incidents occurred both in  Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces.

The Human Rights Defender specifically underlines that the  above-mentioned incidents also pose threat to the civilian population  of Armenia. These are the areas which serve as pastures and hayfields  for the civilian population. They graze their large and small cattle  in these areas, and live there during spring, summer, and autumn.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia is convinced, the described  concrete acts of the Azerbaijani armed servicemen pose real threat,  which in reality is directed towards civilian population of the  Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces of Armenia (for example, their  attempts of illegeal advance towards villages of Khoznavar, Verishen,  Akner, Kut, Ayrk, Verin Shorzha, etc.).

These actions should be viewed within the context of their illegal  incursion into the sovereign territory of Armenia on May 12 and 13,  2021, threatening shepherds of villages of Gegharkunik and Syunik  provinces with murder and captivity, and their provocation near the  border sections, and their creation of tensions within civilian  population of Armenia.

The above-mentioned acts of the Azerbaijani armed forces should also  be viewed in the context of policies of Armenophobia and enmity of  the highest authorities of Azerbaijan. Moreover, the regular criminal  acts of the Azerbaijani armed servicemen against border residents of  Armenia should also be taken into consideration (the throwing of  stones at an Armenian civilian car in Goris- Kapan road, the dragging  of the shepherd of Aravus, and punching him in the eye, the blocking  of the road from Grois to Chakaten with an Azerbaijani car, and  grossly violating the right to free movement of residents of  villages, the threating of border residents of Armenia, including the  shepherds, the refusal to return the cattle that crosses into areas  under Azerbaijani control, and other incidents).

Therefore, it is evident that these reveal the real threat of the  Azerbaijani armed forces directed at the Armenian citizens and the  entire population of Armenia, which also undermine peace and security  in the region. 

The Human Rights Defender will continue sending reports  evidence-based reports on the real situation on the ground to the  international bodies.>