On November 20 Mission of Armenia to OSCE delivered a statement at Permanent Council session regarding the violation of norms of international humanitarian law by Azerbaijan.
Referring to the shooting down by the Azerbaijani armed forces of MI-24 helicopter of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army, that was conducting a training flight, the Armenian side informed that Azerbaijan is hindering the attempts of rescue teams to approach the helicopter’s downing site through consistent shooting in the direction of the site.
During the statement it was highlighted that the attempts to engage the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Personal representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for evacuation of the members of the crew and the investigation of the site has been rejected by Azerbaijan. Thereby Azerbaijan violated commitments by Geneva Convention, that obliges all parties to the conflict without any delay, to take all possible measures to search for and collect the wounded and the dead.
The Armenian Mission called upon the Azerbaijani authorities to comply with the norms of international humanitarian law and cease military activities aimed at denying access to the crew. The fact that it is Azerbaijan that holds all responsibility for the escalation of the situation was underscored.