The Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman
Tatoyan delivered a special report during the discussion organized by the
Armenian National Committee of the United Kingdom, presenting the issue of the
urgent return of the Armenian captives, the military servicemen and the
civilians held in Azerbaijan.
The meeting was attended by the United Kingdom
Ambassador to Armenia, His Excellency Mr. John Gallagher, Chair of the All-Party
Parliamentary Group on Armenia at the UK Parliament Mr. Tim Loughton, and others.
Arman Tatoyan noted that the Azerbaijani
authorities are artificially protracting and politicizing the process of the
return of the captives, having the intention to cause mental suffering to the
Armenian society and specifically to the relatives of the captives, and to create
tensions in the country.
The Human Rights Defender of Armenia presented
in detail the rules of international humanitarian law and human rights that
require the immediate release of the captives and their safe return. Moreover, it is a gross violation of
international humanitarian law and the human rights of the captives to present
them as “terrorists”, since it relates to an ongoing armed conflict.
The Defender also presented information about
war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Azerbaijani armed
forces during the September-November 2020 was (beheadings, torture, humiliation
of bodies, etc.).
Referring to the process of the border
demarcation of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan presented his new concept, according to
which, a demilitarized security zone should be established in the region of
Syunik, to ensure the security of the residents. He presented concrete
evidence, facts, on which this new approach is based.
“The border demarcation process has violated,
and has also seriously threatened the rights of the border residents of
Armenia, has disrupted their normal life, and continue to disturb and cause
concerns to the residents of the villages” – detailed the Human Rights
Defender.
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