Identity of 80 Civilians Killed by Azerbaijanis in Artsakh Revealed: Ombudsman's Office Details

The Artsakh Ombudsman has published the updated version of the report on the killing of civilians, providing brief descriptions of the incidents.

The report summarizes data collected from the fact-finding efforts of the Artsakh Republic's Ombudsman’s office regarding the killings of civilians due to the targeting and incursion by the Azerbaijani armed forces from September 27, 2020, to September 27, 2021. Only those incidents proven with indisputable evidence are presented.

A brief description of the circumstances surrounding each civilian victim's death is included in the report. Based on data gathered until September 27, 2021, the identities of 80 civilians killed by the Azerbaijani armed forces have been established. Forty-two civilians were killed due to long-range strikes by the Azerbaijani forces, including shelling, artillery fire, airstrikes, and gunfire from sabotage groups. Meanwhile, 38 civilians were killed while under Azerbaijani captivity or at least under their control through physical violence, stabbing, beheading, gunfire at close range, and other direct means.

Of the 80 civilian victims, 68 were men and 12 were women. Fifty-two civilians were killed at their places of residence, 15 in public places, 11 at their workplaces, and one in an Azerbaijani prison. The majority of civilian victims were individuals aged 63 and older.

The Ombudsman also documented the injury of 163 civilians, a significant number of which occurred due to strikes that led to the deaths of others. The fate of around two dozen civilians from areas under Azerbaijani occupation remains unknown.

The report has been prepared in both closed and public versions. The closed report includes numerous photographs depicting the victims before and after their deaths, whereas the public report was compiled without photographs due to the brutal and sensitive nature of their content.