Azerbaijani President's Statements Should Receive Necessary Reactions: Human Rights Defender

The statements made by the President of Azerbaijan must receive the necessary reactions to prevent them from leading to more severe consequences for human rights, wrote the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, on his Facebook page.

“On April 27, 2021, the President of Azerbaijan stated: ‘Geographically, Zangezur is part of Eastern Zangezur and is located in Eastern Zangezur. Western Zangezur (referring to the Syunik Province of Armenia) is also our historical land, and the Zangezur corridor will pass through this territory,’” Tatoyan noted.

The Human Rights Defender considers it mandatory to interpret such statements by the Azerbaijani President in the context of ongoing Azerbaijani policies of hatred, gross violations of the right to life, mental inviolability, property, and other rights, in light of the atrocities committed by Azerbaijani armed forces during and after the war of September-November 2020.

It is clear that these statements create tension within Armenian society, disrupt the normal life and mental peace of the civilian population, and aim to intimidate people, especially in border areas. These observations stem from the alarms and requests from citizens directed to the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

The recurring statements of the Azerbaijani President, which pertain to the sovereign Republic of Armenia and grossly distort historical facts, undermine the prospects for peace and security in the region. They should receive the necessary reactions to prevent them from leading to more severe consequences for human rights,” Tatoyan wrote.