Azerbaijanis Act with Extreme Cruelty, Cynically Believing They Will Be Commended: Arman Tatoyan

Former Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, writes:  “We are collecting and documenting evidence of Azerbaijani war crimes, including the torture and murder of Armenian soldiers, with video and photographic evidence. Translations from Azerbaijani to Armenian, Russian, and English are being carried out, along with documentation and analysis.

Current investigations confirm that Azerbaijani soldiers act according to the same principles as they did during the April 2016 and the 44-day war in 2020. They operate with extreme cruelty, cynically believing that not only will they not be punished but that they will earn praise from their leaders. For instance, in one video, they exposed the body of a slain Armenian female soldier and committed atrocities, including dismemberment. On her body, they inscribed with large letters the name of the Azerbaijani special forces, 'YAŞMA' or 'ՅԱՇՄԱ'. This means they have claimed responsibility for the crime.

In the same video, they declare that they have killed two other female soldiers and show the tortured body of one of them in a naked state. The details of such incidents are not disclosed in this publication; they will be presented to relevant international organizations.

Azerbaijani armed forces have filmed these atrocities and publicly disseminated the footage to instill fear in the Armenian population. Our aim in documenting evidence of Azerbaijani war crimes is to provide grounds for criminal prosecution and punishment of the Azerbaijani authorities.

Evidence is also being gathered regarding damages inflicted on the civilian population. It is absolutely clear that these atrocities are not isolated crimes but are consequences of the state policy of unified hatred by the Azerbaijani authorities, parts of a coherent chain. The torturers even use the same expressions as Azerbaijani officials. This policy has not only persisted but has deepened, reaching open fascism. Moreover, all this is encouraged by the absolute impunity for these monstrous crimes.

In this situation, we must not allow ourselves to be lulled by false pacifism. It serves Azerbaijani interests and helps them cover their sinister intentions under the guise of 'peace.'