Since August 1, the Azerbaijani side has conducted aggressive military operations in various directions of the Republic of Artsakh, using weapons of various calibers, grenade launchers, and attack drones.
All this is happening in the event that since November 2020, a ceasefire has been established by the agreement of the parties and Russian peacekeeping forces have been deployed in Artsakh to ensure the peace of the people of Artsakh.
This indicates that peace has not been properly established in Artsakh, and the Azerbaijani side does not fulfill the obligations assumed by the declaration, using all kinds of opportunities to force concessions on one or another issue.
Azerbaijan combines any of its demands with the use of force or the threat of use of force, grossly violating the fundamental provisions of international law.
During the negotiations on various issues, the Armenian side is forced to make concessions, as a result of which the most basic rights of people, including the right to life, are violated. Due to the unclear mandate and a limited number of Russian peacekeepers, fragile and relative peace is regularly endangered. And the people of Artsakh are again fighting alone for the protection of their rights.
Statements supporting the establishment of peace are regularly made by various international actors. Where is that support? Where are the real steps taken by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries to protect people’s rights, save people’s lives, and ensure people’s peaceful life? Where are the actions of the UN, CoE, or OSCE? Or is everything just at the level of empty words?
The international media is not silent for a minute regarding the conflicts taking place in other parts of the world, the international organizations make statements, they show indescribable amounts of support, but the people of Artsakh, who have been directly fighting against the Azerbaijani dictatorship for tens of years, are ignored.
Is it acceptable to be guided by such explicitly double standards and blinded by political interests, fully ignoring people and their rights?
Gegham Stepanyan
The Human Rights Ombudsman of The Republic of Artsakh