Human Rights Defender Visits Soldiers: Their Wounds Evidence Chemical Weapons Use

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, along with the medical staff and lawyers, has visited soldiers at the National Burn Center and obtained new evidence regarding the use of chemical agents (possibly white phosphorus) in weapons of mass destruction by the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh.

Arman Tatoyan posted on Facebook: "Today, together with our medical staff and lawyers at the National Burn Center, we have obtained new evidence regarding the use of chemical agents (possibly white phosphorus) in weapons of mass destruction by the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh. The studies were conducted with the help of specialized equipment. The recorded facts substantiate this assumption. According to the doctors, the soldiers' injuries, particularly the swellings (especially in the upper limbs), persist for a long time; the wounds from burns are at times deep, with ashen edges, intermittently bleeding, and difficult to treat. There is a low level of calcium and hemoglobin in the blood (hypocalcemia), and an increase in the size of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly) is observed.

According to specialist doctors, substances released from the employed weapon can penetrate the body through the respiratory tract, leading to damage of internal organs, which may result in prolonged health deterioration, even death. Doctors noted that the injuries sustained by individuals from the first days of the war differ from cases they have encountered in their previous practice.

During the visit, discussions were held with the medical personnel, as well as private conversations with the injured soldiers and their family members. The above-mentioned and all other facts have received the necessary legal documentation from the Human Rights Defender's office, and further professional studies will be conducted, with necessary actions to be taken based on the results. These records have also been made possible due to the high-quality professional sampling and conscientious documentation by the medical staff of the National Burn Center. Our joint efforts with the leadership and medical personnel of the center will continue in a sustained manner.