Government Must File an Urgent Inter-State Complaint with the ECHR: Human Rights Defender

The government of Armenia must file an urgent inter-state complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to remove the Azerbaijani armed forces from the vicinity of Armenian villages and roads between communities and to establish a security zone.

Specifically, the presence of Azerbaijani armed personnel near the villages of Gegharkunik and Syunik, as well as on the roads between communities in Syunik, violates at least the following rights guaranteed to Armenian citizens under the European Convention on Human Rights:

1. the right to life, Article 2 of the Convention,
2. the right to liberty and security, Article 5,
3. the right to respect for private and family life, Article 8,
4. the right to property, Article 1 of Protocol No. 1,
5. the right to freedom of movement, Article 2 of Protocol No. 4, etc.

The same applies to Azerbaijani flags and signs, as well as any military equipment from their armed forces.

We will provide the Armenian government with evidence gathered through the fact-finding work of the Human Rights Defender, which confirms these violations and substantiates the urgent need for a security zone.