Today,
on July 7, the Human Rights Defender, Ms. Anahit Manasyan, received Mr.
Vladimir Shkolnikov, Senior Human Rights Adviser for the South Caucasus of the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
At
the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Vladimir Shkolnikov congratulated Ms. Anahit
Manasyan on assuming the important mission of the Human Rights Defender,
emphasizing the importance of implementation of human rights protection at the
national level.
Welcoming
the guest, the Defender presented the issues of protection of rights due to
border security, the results of the fact-finding work carried out in Syunik,
Gegharkunik province, Yeraskh community, noting that the situation of human
rights protection in the border communities is very worrying as a result of
Azerbaijani aggression.
In
this context, the Defender noted that the rights to life, physical and mental
integrity, property, education, free movement, as well as other fundamental
rights, are being violated in the border settlements.
The
Defender also talked about the humanitarian situation created as a result of
the blocking of the Lachin Corridor, noting that the created situation prepares
fertile ground for continuous violations of fundamental human rights.
In
the framework of the meeting, Ms. Anahit Manasyan referred to the activities
carried out in the direction of protecting the rights of missing, captured, and
killed servicemen and civilians, as well as their family members. Ms. Anahit
Manasyan informed that she regularly meets with the parents and relatives of
the latter and presents the raised issues during meetings and communications
with international partners.
In
addition, the Defender especially emphasized the inadmissibility of the
dissemination of videos and photos with the participation of Armenian prisoners
of war by the Azerbaijani mass media.
Recently,
the public television of Azerbaijan published a video with the participation of
prisoners of war. Prisoners of war should not be made an object of public
interest in order to prevent possible additional targeting by the public,"
said the Defender.
Ms.
Anahit Manasyan also referred to the Armenophobic policy of Azerbaijan, which
is manifested at the state and all public levels.
"HRD
Office monitors the Azerbaijani media and social platforms on a daily basis.
Hate speech against Armenians are voiced at all levels, including high-ranking
officials of Azerbaijan," she said.
At
the end of the meeting, the parties reached an agreement on the exchange of
information on the state of regional developments in the protection of human
rights.
Հայերեն
