Defender Manasyan presents situation in Armenia, Artsakh to UNHCR Human Rights Adviser

ArmInfo. Ms. Anahit Manasyan discussed the violations of human rights in the border communities and the humanitarian situation caused by the blocking of the Lachin Corridor with Mr. Vladimir Shkolnikov Today, on July 7, the Human Rights Defender, Ms. Anahit Manasyan, received Mr. Vladimir Shkolnikov, Senior Human Rights Adviser for the South Caucasus of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Defender's Office reports.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Vladimir Shkolnikov congratulated Ms. Anahit Manasyan on assuming the important mission of the Human Rights Defender, emphasizing the importance of implementation of human rights protection at the national level.

Welcoming the guest, the Defender presented the issues of protection of rights due to border security, the results of the fact-finding work carried out in Syunik, Gegharkunik province, Yeraskh community, noting that the situation of human rights protection in the border communities is very worrying as a result of Azerbaijani aggression.

In this context, the Defender noted that the rights to life, physical and mental integrity, property, education, free movement, as well as other fundamental rights, are being violated in the border settlements.  The Defender also talked about the humanitarian situation created as a result of the blocking of the Lachin Corridor, noting that the created situation prepares fertile ground for continuous violations of fundamental human rights.

In the framework of the meeting, Ms. Anahit Manasyan referred to the activities carried out in the direction of protecting the rights of missing, captured, and killed servicemen and civilians, as well as their family members. Ms. Anahit Manasyan informed that she regularly meets with the parents and relatives of the latter and presents the raised issues during meetings and communications with international partners.  In addition, the Defender especially emphasized the inadmissibility of the dissemination of videos and photos with the participation of Armenian prisoners of war by the Azerbaijani mass media.

Recently, the public television of Azerbaijan published a video with the participation of prisoners of war.  Prisoners of war should not be made an object of public interest in order to prevent possible additional targeting by the public," said the Defender.

Ms. Anahit Manasyan also referred to the Armenophobic policy of Azerbaijan, which is manifested at the state and all public levels.

"HRD Office monitors the Azerbaijani media and social platforms on a daily basis. Hate speech against Armenians are voiced at all levels, including high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan," she said.  At the end of the meeting, the parties reached an agreement on the exchange of information on the state of regional developments in the protection of human rights.