Even One Shot Disrupts the Peaceful Life of Farmers: Ombudsman on Violations of Rights of Syunik Residents

The presence of Azerbaijani armed servicemen near villages in the Syunik region or along roads connecting communities in the region disrupts the constitutional and internationally guaranteed rights of peaceful residents of Syunik, posing a threat to their tranquility and peace. This was stated by the Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan on his Facebook page.

He specifically wrote: “In recent days, publications have emerged claiming that the gunfire from Azerbaijani soldiers near the border villages of Syunik is sporadic or that they are simply shooting in the air. This may create the impression that the threat of gunfire is being downplayed. But how is it determined which shots are random and how do they differ from regular shots? For instance, is 5 shots in 10 minutes regular, or is 10 shots in 5 minutes?”

“Moreover, how can a villager determine which shot is fired into the air and which one is directed towards the village? If a villager assumes that a shot was fired into the air, does that mean he can feel calm? What difference does it make whether the shot was fired into the air or towards the village?”

The Human Rights Defender's position is clear: even one shot disrupts the peace and tranquil life of the farmer, endangering the life and health of both the farmer and their child, depriving the farmer of the ability to cultivate their land and utilize their property. The presumption is that any shot fired by Azerbaijani soldiers should be regarded as directed towards the village and as regular fire (in the sense of being periodic).

It has already been established that the gunfire from Azerbaijani firearms of both small and large calibers is periodic near Armenian villages, occurring even from less than 1 km away, both towards the air and directly towards the villages. Azerbaijani servicemen are also clearly aware that their gunfire can be distinctly heard in the villages, causing anxiety for the peaceful residents, particularly children, disrupting their tranquility and peaceful life.

Therefore, the presence of Azerbaijani armed servicemen near villages in the Syunik region or along the roads connecting communities constitutes a violation of the rights of peaceful residents of Syunik as guaranteed by the Constitution and internationally, posing a threat to their tranquillity and peace.