Azerbaijani Side Has Taken More Aggressive Actions in Recent Days, Says Artsakh Human Rights Defender

The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan, has reported on his Facebook page that he has once again appealed to the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to inform them that thousands of Armenians living in Artsakh are subjected daily to terrorist and genocidal actions carried out by Azerbaijan.

He has also reached out to the Human Rights Defenders of all countries, international organizations, and human rights advocacy groups.

The Artsakh Human Rights Defender reminded of the military aggression by Azerbaijani armed forces in the fall of 2020, as well as the subsequent various methods of terrorizing, psychological attacks, and gunfire against civilians.

He emphasized that Azerbaijan's actions must receive a clear assessment since it is conducting a policy of ethnic cleansing in Artsakh with its genocidal behavior.

“I appeal to you with hope that you will raise your voice and take real steps to urge the Azerbaijani authorities to refrain from hatred, intolerance, and criminal actions against the people of Artsakh,” Stepanyan mentioned in his appeal.

He highlighted the numerous war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during the 44-day war, the targeting of civilian settlements and populations, the torture of prisoners of war, and the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage, which have been documented in reports presented to international organizations.

Stepanyan also stressed the importance of the fact that those institutions with primary mandates for human rights did not adequately respond to the ongoing crimes at that time.

In his appeal, he pointed out that the systematic and deliberate actions by Azerbaijan aim to depopulate and subject Artsakh to ethnic cleansing.

“In recent days, the Azerbaijani side has taken even more aggressive actions, using various types of armaments, including large-caliber mortars targeted at civilian settlements,” Stepanyan noted.

He emphasizes that residents of the communities of Kharamort, Khnapat, Nakhichevanik, Karmir Shuka, and Taghavard are becoming direct targets of Azerbaijani armed forces’ criminal actions every day.

The Artsakh Human Rights Defender also recalled that for over a week, the entire population of Artsakh has been deprived of gas supply, as the Azerbaijani side does not allow specialists to approach the damaged section of the only gas pipeline from Armenia to Artsakh to carry out restoration works. This has resulted in significant humanitarian issues on proper heating, access to hot water, education, health rights, and many other vital concerns.