It is evident to me that
the blocking of the Goris-Kapan road in Syunik province is a blatant crime
pre-planned by the Azerbaijani authorities against the entire civilian
population of Armenia. This was committed by their armed servicemen on the
basis of a provocation they themselves initiated.
It is already the second
day that the Azerbaijani armed servicemen are keeping the interstate road from
Goris to Kapan blocked
As a direct result of the
blockage certain villages have been completely cut off from other communities,
including the villages of Vorotan, Shurnukh, and Bardzravan, and a sector in
Nor Archadzor village in Kapan.
Serious restrictions have
been ensued on the access of food, basic necessities, and on the access of
medical services in the villages, placing people at real risks of a
humanitarian crisis
The free movement of the
civilian population (including children, women, elderly) of the villages has
been seriously restricted by the blatant criminal actions of the Azerbaijani
armed servicemen.
As a result, the
Tatev-Kapan road has been seriously overwhelmed.
These actions of the
Azerbaijani armed forces have instigated massive human rights violations in
Armenia; the free movement of people, access to medical services and other
internationally guaranteed fundamental rights. the normal life of the civilian
population has been disrupted.
Moreover, the movement of
trucks transporting materials, including materials for business purposes, and
the movement of people from Iran to Armenia and vice versa has been severely
restricted. That is, the free movement on the Armenia-Iran road has been
paralyzed.
The fact-finding
activities conducted under my direct leadership for these two days, the study
of the alarming-calls and the situation clearly demonstrate that the two
sections of the Goris-Kapan road were closed by the order of the highest
authorities of Azerbaijan.
They are directly
responsible for these criminal acts, which have completely disrupted the
security, peace and normal life of the people, and has caused tensions in the
whole society.
These actions
consistently confirm my well-founded assertions that the mere presence of the
Azerbaijani servicemen in the vicinity of the villages and the on roads of
Syunik province violates the rights to life, to free movement, to private
property and other fundamental rights of people, and disrupts their normal life.
Our state should act based
on the principle of "every minute is critical” and make a targeted use of
the international mechanisms.
The Central division of
Yerevan and Syunik province regional subdivisions of the Office of the Human
Rights Defender were in contact with the residents and local self-government
bodies throughout the day. Yesterday and today, the Border Guards Troops of the
NSS of Armenia has an irreplaceable role in ensuring the security of the
civilian population of Armenia.
We regularly send the reports on the actual situation
and the objective results of the fact-finding activities to the international
bodies, including the officials of those bodies individually, such as the UN,
the CoE, the EU, the OSCE, etc., as well as to the state bodies of Armenia.
Mr. Arman Tatoyan
The Human Rights Defender of Armenia
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