Armenian NGOs submit report on use of mercenaries by Azerbaijan,  Turkey against Nagorno-Karabakh to UN Working Group on the use of  mercenaries 

ArmInfo.Pursuant to a proposal by the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries, a number of Armenian NGOs has prepared and submitted a comprehensive report on  the use of mercenaries by Azerbaijan and Turkey in the 44-day war.  

According to the Open Society Foundations-Armenia, the report is  based on the evidence a group of human rights activists obtained  during and after the 44-day war.  

"The submitted evidence proves that Syrian mercenaries were hired and  transported to Azerbaijan to fight against Artsakh Armenians and took  part in the hostilities for material gain, which was a violation of  the international humanitarian law. The evidence is incorporated in  the report entitled 'Human rights violations during the 44-day war',"  an OSF report reads.

Both Armenian servicemen and civilians, including old people unable  to leave the combat zone, were killed by the mercenaries. 

The NGOs are calling on the relevant U.N. agencies to investigate the  facts of hiring and using mercenaries by Azerbaijan and Turkey in  Nagorno-Karabakh and in other conflicts, as well as to apply  sanctions against the Turkish and Azerbaijani officials involved in  hiring and deploying Syrian mercenaries. The NGOs also proposed  submitting the evidence to the International Criminal Court for  holding Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as other countries,  responsible for using mercenaries. 

The NGOs point out a disturbing fact of the UN Working Group using  Azerbaijan's false claims in their statements. They stress that by  equaling the two parties this and other international agencies  aggravate the atmosphere of impunity and reduce the possibility of  compensations to the victims. 

The report has by prepared by the Open Society Foundations-Armenia,  Helsinki Citizens Assembly- Vanadzor, Protection of Rights Without  Borders, Transparency International, Public Journalism Club,  Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation and For  Equal rights NGOs.