Deaths among civilians, disrespect of bodies, amputation and other cases: the Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan presented the preliminary results of the fact-finding activities conducted by her in different regions of Armenia with the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno Karabakh to the representatives of diplomatic corps and international organizations accredited in Armenia.
The purpose of the meeting was to present the results of the fact-finding activities conducted by the Human Rights Defender with forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh in different regions of Armenia, as well as the human rights violations identified through private interviews with displaced persons.
During the meeting, the Defender underscored the significance of identifying diverse forms of ill-treatment towards individuals within her mandate. This perspective is crucial for formulating recommendations to state bodies concerning the protection of rights for these vulnerable groups. The assurance of rights for this specific groups and their families necessitates implementation of a special methodology by the state.
The Defender pointed out concrete violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by Azerbaijan. These include the deliberate targeting of civilian settlements and infrastructure, resulting in civilian casualties. The documented instances encompass manifestations of torture, various forms of ill-treatment, and a range of other violations of rights.
Information about deaths among civilians, disrespect of bodies, amputations and other cases as a result of Azerbaijani aggression was documented, and photos confirming the facts were presented.
The Defender also presented facts about other forms of ill-treatment, including cases when people, arrived to Armenia, fainted due to famine. This included children, the elderly, and pregnant women. The discussion covered various manifestations of degrading treatment towards ethnic Armenians.
The Defender highlighted the results of the monitoring of Azerbaijani media and social networks, pointing out a significant number of posts by Azerbaijani users targeting Armenians based on ethnicity. These posts promote hatred, endorse violence, and provide justifications to it. In emphasizing this intolerant attitude within Azerbaijani society, the Defender stated that it serves as both a consequence and evidence of the Armenophobic policy pursued by Azerbaijani authorities.
At the end of the meeting, Anahit Manasyan stated that the results of the fact-finding activities will be summarized and presented in the form of a report to international organizations and actors with a mandate to protect human rights, as well as to competent state bodies.
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Human Rights Defender of Armenia
