Human Rights Defender of Artsakh on Azerbaijani Military Operations

The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan, has issued a statement regarding Azerbaijan's military operations. He emphasized that despite the ceasefire agreement reached between the parties in 2020, Azerbaijan combines its demands with the use of force or threats of force, grossly violating fundamental principles of international law, while international organizations and media ignore the events.

In his released message, the Human Rights Defender stated: “Since August 1, 2022, the Azerbaijani side has conducted aggressive military operations in various directions of the Republic of Artsakh, using weapons of various calibers, grenade launchers, and strike drones. All of this occurs in a context where a ceasefire was established by mutual agreement between the parties in November 2020 and Russian peacekeeping forces were deployed in Artsakh to ensure the peace of the Artsakh people. This indicates that peace has not been properly established in Artsakh, and the Azerbaijani side is failing to fulfill its commitments outlined in the statements, using various pretexts to impose concessions regarding different issues through the use of force,” he wrote.

According to the Human Rights Defender, during negotiations on various issues, the Armenian side is forced to make concessions, resulting in gross violations of the most basic rights of individuals, including the right to life. “Due to the unclear mandate and strictly limited number of Russian peacekeepers, fragile and relative peace is periodically jeopardized, and the people of Artsakh are once again fighting alone for the protection of their rights. International actors regularly make statements supporting peace establishment. Where is that support? Where are the concrete actions of the co-chairing countries to protect the rights of people, save lives, and ensure peaceful livelihoods for the people? Where are the actions of the UN, the Council of Europe, or the OSCE? Or is everything merely at the level of empty words?” Gegham Stepanyan expressed his outrage.

He stressed that international media does not remain silent for a second regarding conflicts occurring in other parts of the world, international organizations make statements, and they provide unprecedented levels of support, while the people of Artsakh, who have been fighting against Azerbaijani tyranny for decades, are ignored.

“Dear partners in international organizations, due to your inconsistency and actions that do not go beyond discussing the conflict in expert circles, Azerbaijan feels unpunished and resorts to all sorts of impudence. Is it acceptable to follow such blatant double standards? Can one be blinded by political interests and ignore people and their rights?” concluded the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh.