Human
rights defender Anahit Manasyan emphasizes the importance of Council of Europe
(CoE) Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatović's Observations published on
January 12, 2024, where particularly the Commissioner's records following her
visit on October 16-23, 2023 were presented.
Dunja
Mijatović noted that the Human Rights Defender of Armenia shared with the CoE
Commissioner the preliminary report on the results of the fact finding
activities conducted from 24 to 30 September, 2023 at the places of
registration of displaced persons and other publications.
The
Commissioner also referred to the cases of alleged violence and
torture/mutilation in the report published by the Defender.
“On
the basis of the information collected through various interviews, reports and
monitoring of the media outlets, among others, the Human Rights Defender of
Armenia referred to allegations of the targeting civilian objects and
infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools and ambulances, on 19
and 20 September. The number of wounded civilians exceeded 40 persons,
including 13 children, while there were 10 confirmed civilian deaths, including
5 children as of September 20”.- the Commissioner noted.
In
her Observations Dunja Mijatović noted: “Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities
should ensure focus on human rights protection in their peace talks and
establish strong human rights safeguards for all persons affected by the
conflict”.
The
Commissioner noted that the sense of fear and uncertainty that these
circumstances generated among the local population reached yet a greater level
of intensity following Azerbaijani military action on 19 and 20 September.
The
high level of vulnerability experienced during the blockade and the sudden
reopening of the Lachin corridor at the end of September 2023 let them to feel
that in order to secure their existence they had no choice but to leave the
region immediately.
Welcoming
the work conducted by the RA authorities in the direction of providing first
aid for those arriving from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, the Commissioner
emphasized that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh moved to Armenia and, in
particular, those belonging to vulnerable groups, should be guaranteed access
to the necessary support in the short-term, midterm and long-term perspective.
Taking
into account the high level of sense of fear and uncertainty, it is important
that the Azerbaijani authorities provide the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh who
want to return to their living places with precise security guarantees.
Human
Rights Defender of Armenia continues to present the results of fact finding
activities to international partners with the purpose of providing solutions to
problems.
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