Azerbaijani Authorities Begin New Acts of Terror Against the Population of Artsakh, Says Tatoyan

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, has called on the people of Artsakh to not allow the spread of new terrifying acts by the Azerbaijani authorities and to remove or close any personal information such as phone numbers and addresses from their social media pages. Tatoyan made this statement in a recent announcement.

“To prevent the spread of panic-inducing actions by the Azerbaijani authorities, I urge our compatriots in Artsakh to remove or close phone numbers, addresses, and other personal data from their social media pages. I advise against responding to any suspicious calls received via social media,” Tatoyan stated.

He noted that the Azerbaijani authorities have initiated organized new acts of terror and panic against the peaceful population of Artsakh. This conclusion is based on recent statements from the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, law enforcement bodies, and investigations and alerts from the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

Specifically, people living in Artsakh have been receiving organized calls from Azerbaijani phone numbers, offering to buy their apartments and shops. They also obtain personal data from individuals' social media pages. Moreover, some Facebook pages have become active with the intent of exerting psychological pressure on those living in Artsakh.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia is drawing the attention of the international community to this new and dangerous policy of the Azerbaijani authorities. It is clear to the Armenian Human Rights Defender that this is part of a policy of ethnic cleansing against ethnic Armenians living in Artsakh, an expression of the genocidal policies of the Azerbaijani authorities against the population of Artsakh.

This information will be forwarded to international bodies alongside the statement from the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan. The Human Rights Defender of Armenia is in daily contact with his counterpart in Artsakh as they conduct a detailed review of all data and alerts and maintain cooperation.