HRD: the Azerbaijani Armed Forces carried out the most intensive  shelling of the communities of Syunik, Gegharkunik and Vayots Dzor  especially during children`s school and kindergarten attendance hours

ArmInfo.The use of various military equipment by the Azerbaijani armed forces was more  intense, especially during children's school and kindergarten  attendance hours. The RA Human Rights Defender Office reports.

The monitoring of the Defender's office and the study of current  facts prove that on September 13-14, 2022, in Syunik, Gegharkunik and  Vayots Dzor provinces, the civilian population and vital public  infrastructures, including educational institutions, were under  indiscriminate targeting by the Azerbaijani armed forces, violating  the rights guaranteed by international legal instruments of the  civilian population, including children.

As a result of the Azerbaijani military attack in the directions of  Syunik, Vayots Dzor, and Gegharkunik provinces, the child's rights to  life, health, a safe and healthy environment, living in family and  community, self-development and protection, and other many rights  were violated. It should be particularly emphasized that the use of  various military equipment by the Azerbaijani armed forces was more  intensive, especially during children's school and kindergarten  attendance hours. In this circumstance, especially the children of  displaced communities are deprived of opportunities to exercise their  right to education. In some cases, schools and kindergartens are  under direct fire and targeting by the Azerbaijani armed forces. 

The information collected by the Defender's office proves the use of  various types of weapons by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the  direction of educational institutions. For instance, the educational  institution of the Sotk community of Gegharkunik province was  damaged.

In this regard, it should be noted that the UN Convention on the  Rights of the Child clearly stipulates that all feasible measures  must be taken to ensure the protection and care of children affected  by an armed conflict. Moreover, the Convention requires States  Parties to respect and ensure respect for rules of international  humanitarian law applicable to children in armed conflicts. In this  context, it is important to emphasize once again that the rights of  children who do not participate in military operations in an armed  conflict or military situation are guaranteed by the Geneva  Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of  War of 1949 and Protocol Additional 1 to the relating to the  Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts.

The documents adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child,  the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and the Parliamentary  Assembly of the Council of Europe emphasized not only the  inadmissibility of the violation of children's rights during military  operations but also the consequences preventing imperative that is  necessary for guaranteeing children's daily life, their mental and  physical development. These organizations have repeatedly condemned  the attacks and targeting of educational, child care, and protection  institutions.

The Human Rights Defender emphasizes once again that children are  under special protection.  Accordingly, the Defender draws the  attention of the international organizations involved in the  protection of children's rights to respond clearly to the gross  violations of children's rights in Vayots Dzor, Syunik, and  Gegharkunik as a result of the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces  against the Republic of Armenia and to take real steps towards their  immediate elimination.