Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan and his staff carried out inspection of the areas of the runway and administrative building of Kapan airport, in the immediate vicinity of deployment of Azerbaijani forces.

 

Studies show that not only the Kapan airport, but also the traffic on Kapan- Yerevan (M2) highway and a number of residential areas in the city of Kapan are endangered, the Ombudsman said in a Facebook post.

 

“During the visit to Kapan’s airport and a number of villages, the Google map and several other online maps showed different results. In some cases the road from Kapan to Chakaten village, as well as the Kapan airport road, and the sections of Kapan airport where the Azerbaijani forces are stationed, were presented as part of territory of the Republic of Armenia,” the Human Rights Defender said.

“Human Rights Defender’s visits to Kapan and surrounding villages show that as a result of the approaches used so far, and especially the mechanical application of Global Positioning System (GPS) or Google maps, pose a serious threat to the right to life and security of border residents, their physical or mental inviolability and other rights of vital importance guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. The security of the Armenian state borders is endangered,” the Ombudsman’s Office said.

 

“In particular, with the mechanical application of this principle, various sections of the road from Kapan to Chakaten and other villages came under Azerbaijani control, which put the movement of civilians in real danger. At the same time, it must be taken into account that this road is absolutely necessary for the security of the villages of Chakaten, Shikahogh, Srashen, Nerkin Hand, Tsav and the vital rights of the inhabitants,” the Office said.