Displacement of Civilians in Shushi and Hadrut is Result of Targeted Armed Attacks, Tatoyan Visits Artsakh

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, has reported on his Facebook page that he visited a temporary shelter for civilians forcibly displaced from Shushi and Hadrut due to ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijani armed forces, alongside his counterpart Gegham Stepanyan in Stepanakert.

“Everyone has noted that both in the towns of Shushi and Hadrut, as well as in nearby villages, people’s homes were directly targeted by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the war, with targeted attacks carried out against the civilian population. People testified that kindergartens, schools, and medical centers were under direct attack by Azerbaijan,” wrote Tatoyan.

The situation regarding the protection of their rights has been examined, and individual interviews were conducted with the people living in the temporary shelter.

“As a result of forced displacement and Azerbaijani attacks, people have been deprived not only of their homes but also of various types of equipment, including passenger vehicles, agricultural machinery, and livestock. The right to education for children has been disrupted for an extended period, leading to serious social issues for families that remain relevant today. This situation is further aggravated by the fact that Azerbaijani authorities continue to obstruct the residents' engagement in agriculture and earning an income through gunfire from their armed forces. Residents have raised questions regarding the procedures and conditions for registration for new housing.

The results of the visit clearly indicate that the displacement of civilians is a consequence of targeted armed attacks, which is directly linked to the state policy of Azerbaijani anti-Armenianism and hostility, being carried out on both ethnic and religious grounds. All individual issues raised by the people have been documented for the purpose of addressing them accordingly,” the Human Rights Defender's office reports.