Normal Life Disrupted in Charektar Community

The normal life of people in the Charektar community of the Republic of Artsakh has been completely disrupted due to the 2020 Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression. This was reported by Gegham Stepanyan, the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh.

In the post-war situation, amid uncertainty regarding the fate of the community, some residents have left the village, setting their homes on fire. After the clarification of the community's status, renovations for the burned houses were initiated; however, these renovations are currently either not being implemented or are progressing slowly, preventing the residents from returning to their homes.

The security situation in the community is very serious, with Azerbaijani military outposts located on nearby heights posing an immediate threat to the life and other vital rights of the community's residents. There have been instances of large cattle owned by the few remaining residents being stolen by representatives of the Azerbaijani armed forces.

For the restoration of normal life, it is crucial to deploy forces that ensure security in the community, including effective cooperation with the Russian peacekeepers.

The absence of a school and security issues hinder the return of the community’s residents. The reconstruction of the community's school, which was planned to be completed by January 2022, is progressing very slowly, leaving six school-age children in the village without the right to education. A proposal to organize their education at the school in the neighboring Getavan community was rejected by a parent due to security concerns, especially considering the fact that Azerbaijani military convoys frequently pass along the same road.

According to community residents, several families have returned to the community, but due to the lack of a school, they left again.

It should also be noted that several families currently living in the community are not utilizing humanitarian aid provided by various organizations. These issues have been raised by the citizens living in the community through various channels; however, no progress has been recorded.

I draw the attention of the government and territorial administration authorities to the raised issues, hoping for immediate and substantive measures to ensure the normal life of Charektar's residents.