Nearly 10,000 People Displaced and Over 100 Killed Due to 'Kolts'o' Operation, Armenia's Ombudsman

On April 30, the 30th anniversary of the 'Kolts'o' (Ring) operation by Azerbaijani forces, which resulted in the forced displacement of Armenian residents in Artsakh, was marked. Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan issued a statement on this occasion.

“In April 1991, the Azerbaijani forces initiated the mass displacement of the Armenian population in Artsakh, continuing until August, marked by widespread atrocities against Armenians. The main actors in this operation were the special forces of the Azerbaijani Police (OMON), supported by units of the Soviet Internal Troops and the 4th Army,” he stated.

Although numerous steps aimed at emptying Artsakh of Armenians were undertaken by Azerbaijani authorities before this operation, the actual 'Kolts'o' operation began on March 25, 1991. On that day, the Azerbaijani OMON systematically shelled the villages of Getashen and Martunashen. Prior to the incursion, Azerbaijani forces isolated the villages that were targeted.

From April 16 onward, the Shahumyan region was cut off from electricity and telephone communication, and regular helicopter flights from Yerevan to Shahumyan were suspended. On April 30, the villages of Getashen and Martunashen were shelled, with tanks, combat helicopters, and artillery used against the Armenian civilian population.

Following the encirclement of Armenian villages by the Soviet Internal Troops and the Soviet Army, Azerbaijani OMON and militia forces invaded the villages under the pretext of “passport regime checks.” In reality, these actions resulted in the murder of Armenians motivated by ethnic hatred, torture, and other atrocities, forcing people to flee their homes.

As a result of this operation, more than two dozen villages were depopulated, nearly 10,000 people were displaced, and over 100 were killed. Additionally, around 100 people became hostages, with many fates still unknown.

The 'Kolts'o' operation exemplifies Azerbaijan's policy of anti-Armenianism and ethnic cleansing. In the following years, the state’s policy of inciting ethnic hatred and animosity towards Armenians evolved, with a significant component being the encouragement of anti-Armenian sentiment.

The evidence confirms that these atrocities against Armenians were carried out solely based on ethnic affiliation, constituting a process of dispossession and extermination. This indicates a systematic policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Armenians, underpinned by state-sponsored anti-Armenianism.

Further evidence shows that in subsequent years, state policies of anti-Armenianism and the promotion of animosity towards Armenians developed new dimensions. The encouragement of genocide and maltreatment against Armenians was openly promoted by Azerbaijani authorities.

A specific testimony to this is the brutal murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan by Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov with an axe in February 2004 during an international training course in Budapest. Afterward, he was extradited to Azerbaijan and not only was released but was also celebrated as a hero at the highest levels of the government.

In the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of 'Makuchyan and Minasyan v. Azerbaijan and Hungary' (application number 17247/13), it was noted in 2020 that the pardoning of Ramil Safarov in Azerbaijan, the provision of privileges, and the heroization at the governmental level were ethnically motivated actions.

The Armenia’s Human Rights Defender's office documented war crimes based on ethnic affiliation committed by Azerbaijani armed forces against the population of Artsakh during the April 2016 and September-November 2020 wars, including the brutal killings and torture of both civilians and servicemen, as well as numerous instances of body desecration.

All these acts were perpetrated by the Azerbaijani armed forces and engaged terrorists, who filmed these acts confidently, cynically displaying how they cut off the heads or ears of Armenians or desecrated corpses.

Leading up to and during these wars, anti-Armenian sentiment and the encouragement of genocide continued with increasing aggression. There are also reports based on objective evidence confirming these occurrences.

To this day, Azerbaijan continues a state policy of creating suffering for the Armenian community, provoking emotional responses, and promoting tensions. This is clearly evidenced by the abduction of Armenian civilians and servicemen, manipulating their return for artificial reasons, politicizing the issue, and making it a matter for negotiations.

Unfortunately, the disproportionate response from the international community and especially from international bodies responsible for protecting human rights has contributed to the fact that the described atrocities against Armenians not only persist but have deepened and taken on more brutal manifestations.

The Armenian Human Rights Defender, on behalf of himself and his entire team, pays tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the 'Kolts'o' operation and emphasizes to the global community that impunity for violations of rights and crimes leads to new and even more severe violations and atrocities.

This statement will be disseminated to relevant international organizations by the Armenian Human Rights Defender's office.