Azerbaijani Soldiers Again Commit Theft in Syunik Region

Specifically, the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has reported that on August 3, 2021, it received alerts indicating that Azerbaijani soldiers had stolen four cows belonging to two families from the village of Chakatent in the Syunik region. The incident occurred on July 26, when the animals reached a pasture named "Yurders" located about 1 km from the village and approached an area under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces.

According to the alerts, after this, Azerbaijani soldiers tied the animals in their territory and did not allow them to return. Residents reported that for about five days, they observed the animals through a telescope from a hill near their homes, noticing that they were located in an area called "Jambar." By August 1, the animals had disappeared.

In addition to this incident, on August 2, 2021, the Human Rights Defender's office received another report concerning a resident from the village of David Bek in the Syunik region. The resident had taken six cattle (one bull and five cows) for grazing about 1.5 km away from the village on July 14. After briefly leaving the pasture, he returned to find that five of the cattle were missing, while one cow returned with a rope around its neck, indicating that it had been taken by Azerbaijani soldiers.

In both instances, villagers informed the administration of their respective communities. The representatives of the Armenian Armed Forces and Russian border guards were also notified about the incidents. As of August 3, negotiations for the return of the animals have yielded no results, with Azerbaijani soldiers refusing to return the animals, claiming they do not have them.

The Human Rights Defender's office has confirmed these reports through interviews with the mentioned residents of Chakatent and David Bek, as well as from community authorities. The theft of livestock belonging to residents along the Armenian border by Azerbaijani soldiers has become a recurring issue. These illegal actions violate the property rights of Armenian citizens and aim to deprive them of the opportunity to engage in livestock farming and earn a livelihood.

Moreover, these incidents generate social problems, causing serious harm to the border communities of Armenia. The reported cases underscore the need for the establishment of a security zone around Syunik and Gegharkunik to ensure the protection and rights of the local population. This requires their removal from the vicinity of Armenian border villages and the roads connecting Syunik communities.

Arman Tatoyan
Human Rights Defender of Armenia