Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Ruben Melikyan has resigned.

“Yesterday we released the special reports of the Ombudsman about facts on Armenophobia in Azerbaijan, with this basically completing our fact finding function which was launched on the 2016 April War,” he said.

He said that he had decided to resign about two months ago, and noted it to be a “personal decision”. “I currently imagine myself outside the state system, in the dimension of human rights protection functions. I have always attached importance to this mission,” he said, describing it as an “unbiased and righteous” activity.

He thanked everyone for trusting him the “honor and cross” of being Artsakh’s Ombudsman, and expressed gratitude to his staff.