Thousands of Artsakh children canot grow in their Homeland while  children`s festival is taking place in Shushi - Geghard Foundation 

ArmInfo.While a children's festival organized by the Ministry of Science and Education of  Azerbaijan on the occasion of International Children's Day is taking place in Shushi, thousands of Artsakh children, forcibly displaced from this city and other regions of Artsakh, are left without the right to a safe childhood, education and the opportunity to grow up in their homeland.

As emphasized in the message of the scientific and analytical  foundation "Geghard", this event, entitled "Shushi - the cultural  pearl of the union of Turkic peoples", is organized by the government  of the country, which forcibly deprived the children of Artsakh,  including Shushi, of the opportunity to live and develop in their  native land.

"Azerbaijan, continuing its aggressive and Armenophobic policy  towards the peaceful population of Artsakh, not only violates  international rights and humanitarian principles, but also takes away  the childhood of an entire generation," the foundation's article  notes.

In this regard, the Foundation recalled that during the Artsakh war  of 2020, the Azerbaijani armed forces systematically committed war  crimes not only against defensive positions, but also against the  civilian population. As a result of the military actions launched by  Azerbaijan on September 27, gross human rights violations were  recorded, as a result of which innocent children also suffered.

"On October 4, as a result of the shelling of the city of Martuni by  the Azerbaijani armed forces, a 9-year- old girl was killed and her  2-year-old brother was seriously injured. In early October, during  the evacuation from Martakert, a 13-year-old boy was seriously  wounded by a drone strike of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. On October  14, near the Vardenis-Sotk highway, a 14-year-old boy was wounded as  a result of a second drone strike.

Also on September 19, 2023, five civilians, three of whom were  children, were killed in the village of Sarnakhbyur in the Askeran  region of Artsakh," the Geghard Foundation added.

In addition, the Foundation noted that on September 20, according to  information collected by the Artsakh Human Rights Defender's Office,  at least 200 deaths and more than 400 wounded were registered,  including more than 40 civilians, including 13 children.

It is noted that as a result of the hostilities during the 44-day  war, more than 24 thousand children of Artsakh were deprived of the  right to education. In this regard, the report mentions the visit of  the Human Rights Defender of Armenia to the Gegharkunik region to  collect facts about the air and artillery attacks of Azerbaijan on  civilian settlements. Thus, according to the source, the fact-finding  group recorded that targeted strikes by Azerbaijani aviation and  artillery were carried out early in the morning of September 27.  "As  a result of the drone strike on the residential part of the village  of Sotk, not only one residential building was damaged, but also a  school located just 100-150 meters from the site of the explosion.   According to the parents, for safety reasons, they had to temporarily  take refuge with their children in basements.

the Geghard Foundation analysis says.

In addition, Geghard recalled that due to the blockade, 270 children  were unable to return to their homes, as a result of which their  rights to safety, education and family life were violated. Meanwhile,  the acute shortage of medicines, medical supplies and hygiene  products had a serious negative impact on the health of children and  their right to receive medical services.

"The lack of infant formula caused serious nutritional problems for  hundreds of infants, jeopardizing their physical and mental  development," the foundation summarized.

Recall that on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan, under the pretext of  an "anti-terrorist operation," committed another act of aggression  against Artsakh. This was preceded by almost 10 months of blockade of  the unrecognized republic. Since the enemy aggression that began in  the fall of 2020, which in September 2023 ended with the complete  ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, over 150 thousand Artsakh residents have  lost their homeland and become refugees.