Azerbaijan's Atrocities Against Artsakh Population Detailed in Second Interim Report by Ombudsman

The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh has released the second interim report on Azerbaijan's atrocities against its population, in English. The report presents a thorough study and analysis of the consequences of criminal acts directed at the civilian population of Artsakh by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the period from September 27 to October 9, 2020.

As of October 9, a total of 20 civilians were reported killed, including 1 infant girl, 7 women, and 12 men. The infant, five women, and four men were killed in their backyards, while the others were killed in public places in various settlements (central squares, neighborhoods). Deaths were recorded in Stepanakert (7 persons), Martuni (6 persons), Hadrout (1 person), and Martakert (3 persons), as well as in the village of Alashan in the Martakert region (1 person) and near the Great Shen community (1 person), and in the Aygestan community of the Askeran region (1 person).

In total, 101 individuals sustained bodily injuries, with 81 suffering serious injuries. Of these, 68 were male and 13 were female civilians. Among the injured, 38 sustained injuries as a result of shell explosions near their residences, 6 while being transported to relatively safe places, 11 at their workplaces, and 26 in other public areas.

According to refined data, serious bodily injuries were recorded for 34 persons in Stepanakert or adjacent areas, 3 persons in the Hadrout regional center of Hadrout, 3 persons in the Taghaser community, 1 person in the Vardashat community of the same region, 14 persons in the Martuni regional center of Martuni, 1 person in the Spitak Shen community, 2 persons in the Martakert regional center of Martakert, 6 persons near the Maghavuz community, 2 persons in the N.V. Horatagh community, 3 persons in Alashan, 1 person in the Mataghis community of the same region, 2 persons in the Karvachar community of the Shushi region, 3 persons in the city of Shushi, 1 person in the Askeran regional center of Askeran, 2 persons in the Aygestan community of the same region, and 3 persons in the Hotsants community of the Kashatagh region.

Since September 27, Azerbaijani armed forces have targeted more than 120 civilian settlements in the Republic of Artsakh, resulting in numerous incidents of destruction or damage to infrastructure and private property. Specifically, preliminary data indicate that over 5,800 private properties (residential buildings, shops, etc.) have been seriously damaged, over 520 vehicles, and around 960 infrastructure, public, and industrial facilities.

The report notes that the casualties and injuries were recorded as a result of the use of prohibited weapons and methods. Azerbaijan has widely used heavy and long-range rocket and aviation means against the civilian population, some of which are of a cluster type. During the stated period, Azerbaijan deliberately and targetedly struck civilian critical infrastructure in Stepanakert and other settlements, which constitutes a severe war crime and exacerbates the humanitarian disaster in Artsakh.