It is Necessary to Ensure the Rights of Farmers in Syunik: Human Rights Defender on the Incident of Azerbaijani Soldiers Taking 173 Sheep from Khndzoresk

The fact that Azerbaijani armed forces took 173 sheep from the shepherd in the village of Khndzoresk in the Syunik region on February 11, 2021, confirms what the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has been warning about for several months.

Yesterday, the Khndzoresk community administration announced that on February 11, a resident of the village pastured a total of 185 small cattle in the pastures adjacent to the village. During the grazing, some of the animals approached an area controlled by Azerbaijani soldiers, after which Azerbaijani armed personnel took away 173 sheep. The animals were only returned after negotiations between the servicemen of the Armenian border troops and the command of the armed forces corps.

This information has been confirmed to the Human Rights Defender by several villagers and community bodies. Furthermore, the Syunik regional division of the Defender's office clarified that the shepherd was indeed cautious, but the incident occurred because the animals are accustomed to grazing in those areas, and the pastures are such that it is difficult to control the animals.

All of this confirms that it is necessary to guarantee the rights of villagers, including their security, livelihood, and property rights when utilizing pastures, as there are risks or violations associated with these rights. To prevent such issues, it is essential to carry out commission-based work and accurately assess the needs of farmers to eliminate all problems completely.

Arman Tatoyan
Human Rights Defender of Armenia