How Can a Farmer Determine Which Shot Fired by Azerbaijani Armed Forces is Into the Air and Which is Toward the Village? - Human Rights Defender

Arman Tatoyan, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, has issued a statement addressing recent reports suggesting that the gunfire from Azerbaijani soldiers near the border villages in Syunik Province is either random or merely fired into the air.

The statement reads:

“In recent days, there have been publications claiming that the gunfire from Azerbaijani military near the border villages of Syunik Province is random or that they are simply shooting into the air. This may create the impression that the danger of gunfire is being mitigated.

1) How should it be determined which gunfire is random and how does it differ from regular fire? For instance, is 5 shots in 10 minutes regular or is 10 shots in 5 minutes?

2) How can a farmer determine which shot fired by an Azerbaijani armed service member is into the air and which is directed at the village? If the farmer assumes that the shot was fired into the air, does that mean he can feel safe? What does it matter whether the shot was into the air or toward the village?

The baseline according to the Human Rights Defender of RA is clear: even a single shot disrupts the peace and calm of the farmer, endangers the life and health of the farmer and their child, and deprives the farmer of the opportunity to cultivate their land and utilize other properties.

The presumption is that any gunfire from Azerbaijani military should be considered as directed toward the village and regular (in the sense of periodic). It is already a confirmed fact that gunfire from small and large caliber weapons by Azerbaijani forces is periodic near the Armenian villages, occurring even less than 1 km away, both into the air and directly toward the villages. Azerbaijani soldiers are also fully aware that their shots are clearly heard in the villages, causing unrest to the peaceful residents and, first and foremost, to the children, disrupting their peace and calm life.

Therefore, the presence of Azerbaijani armed forces in proximity to the villages of Syunik Province or on the roads connecting communities in the region, and any movement they make along these roads, violates the constitutional and internationally guaranteed rights of the peaceful residents of Syunik, posing a threat to their tranquillity and peace.”