Gegham Stepanyan in Artsakh's Human Rights Defender
Azerbaijan is altering the provisions of previously reached agreements through the use or threat of military aggression, forcing Artsakh to make concessions and severely violating the people’s basic rights, warned Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanayan in a statement regarding the escalating situation in Artsakh.
“Since August 1, 2022, Azerbaijan 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 despite the ceasefire that was established by the agreement of the parties in November 2020, when Russian peacekeeping forces were deployed to Artsakh to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh,” said Stepanyan in his statement.
“This indicates that security has not been properly established in Artsakh, and the Azerbaijani side does not fulfill the obligations it has assumed under the agreements and uses every opportunity to force concessions on one or another issue,” he wrote.
The Human Rights Defender said that throughout 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 in the most egregious manner.
“Due to the unspecified mandate and very limited number of Russian peacekeepers, the fragile and relative peace is regularly endangered, and the people of Artsakh are once 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 concrete steps taken by the co-chairing countries to protect people’s rights—save people’s lives—and ensure people’s peaceful existence? Where are the UN, EU or OSCE efforts? Or, are those just empty promises?” Stepanyan asked, voicing his anger.
He emphasized that the international media has not been silent “for one minute” regarding conflicts taking place in other parts of the world, as international organizations are making statements, providing unspeakable amount of support, and the people of Artsakh, who have been directly fighting against the Azerbaijani dictatorship for decades, are being ignored.
“Dear international partners, as a result of your inconsistent actions that do not go beyond assessing the conflict through expert analysis, Azerbaijan feels that it will go unpunished and resorts to all sorts of callous measures. How is it possible to guided by such overt double standards? How is it possible to be blinded by political interests and ignore people and their rights?” concluded Stepanyan.