Azerbaijan Sends Photos of Killed and Tortured Soldiers to Families: Report

Azerbaijan has purposefully inflicted mental anguish on the mothers, sisters, and other family members of Armenian soldiers. The TATOYAN Foundation, a center for law and justice, has presented a new report substantiated with evidence.

During the wars against Armenia and Artsakh in 2020, which lasted 44 days, and the events of September 13-14, 2022, the Azerbaijani armed forces committed numerous war crimes, including the torture of prisoners of war and civilians, as well as extrajudicial killings. These acts stem from the xenophobia and enmity of the government of Azerbaijan, driven by a fascist continuation of politics.

Through arbitrary prosecutions and fabricated court acts, Azerbaijan has so far refused to return Armenian prisoners of war and civilians. In this way, the Azerbaijani authorities deliberately cause psychological distress to Armenian families both in Artsakh and Armenia.

This report discusses and provides a legal assessment of Azerbaijan's criminal actions. For instance, Azerbaijani soldiers have obstructed search efforts and concealed the bodies of servicemen, which have not been returned, among other issues.

On social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, Azerbaijani accounts have targeted Armenian audiences, spreading and directly sending photos of their relatives who were servicemen, found dead and tortured.

Studies confirm that these crimes are encouraged by the authorities of Azerbaijan. They aim to inflict severe psychological pain on the families and maintain tension within Armenian society.

The preparation of this report also included interviews with soldiers’ families and the study of necessary documents.