The
shootings by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the vicinity of Kut village of Gegharkunik
province on July 15, 2021 proves that their presence in the vicinity of the
border villages and on the roads of Armenia is a violation of the right to life
of the Armenian residents.
The
Office of the Human Rights Defender received alarming-calls on July 15 that the
Azerbaijani servicemen initiated shootings in the vicinity of Kut village of
Gegharkunik province.
The
fact finding activities of the Human Rights Defender revealed that the
shootings were audible to the civilian population of in Kut village.
The
alarming-calls revealed that in the vicinity of the Kut village, on a distance
of 3kms from the village, Azerbaijani armed forces are positioned in the
sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.
Those
are areas which are used as pastures and hayfields for the civilian population.
The Armenian residents are deprived of their right to use those areas as a
result of the illegal Azerbaijani presence.
The
fact-finding activities also revealed that around 14:30 on July 15, the
Azerbaijani armed forces started shooting for a period of around 40 minutes in
the direction of the positions of the Armenian Armed Forces, using different
calibers of weapons.
These
regular shooting of the Azerbaijani servicemen in the vicinity of the villages
of Gegharkunik province are a real threat to the right to life and health of
the civilian population of Armenia. These actions are also aimed at the right
to property and other vital rights of the residents of Armenia, and the
deprivation of their opportunity to raise livestock and earn a family income.
The
Azerbaijani servicemen regularly commit similar criminal acts (shootings, theft
of livestock, obstructions to harvest, etc.) in the vicinity of communities of
Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces and their residents.
The
shootings of July 15, 2021 proves yet again that the presence of the
Azerbaijani armed forces in the vicinity of the villages of Gegharkunik and
Syunik provinces and the roads between the communities of these provinces is
primarily a violation of the right to life of the residents of Armenia.
The
fact of the Azerbaijani shootings on July 15 in Gegharkunik province was also
confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of Armenia
Mr.
Arman Tatoyan
The
Human rights Defender of Armenia
Հայերեն
