Author: Jack Hunanian

"The fierce struggle waged by Azerbaijan against the state symbols of the Artsakh Republic is another manifestation of the xenophobic behavior of the Azerbaijani authorities towards the Armenians," the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh Gegham Stepanyan said in statement on Friday. 

The Ombudsman referred to the case of clearing the symbols of Artsakh statehood with knives from a bus  and  demands to remove the Artsakh flag from various  buildings of Artsakh, naming them "vivid examples of the complete lack of tolerance of Azerbaijanis towards Armenians living in Artsakh." 

"We must keep in mind that the symbols of Artsakh statehood are an integral part of our cultural values, so intolerance towards them is another proof that Azerbaijan is systematically fighting against Armenian cultural values in Artsakh. The symbols of statehood are the symbols of the right of the people of Artsakh to live in their homeland, to preserve their identity, to self-determination, against which any encroachment is directed against the dignity of our people and the general system of rights," added Stepanyan. 

An Azerbaijani police checkpoint has been installed on interstate road from Goris to Kapan in southern Syunik province of Armenia, reporter Anush Mirzoyan wrote on her Facebook page, sharing photos from the scene. 

"It seems we will soon be asked to get permission from the Azerbaijani side to reach Kapan from Goris" Mirzoyan wrote. 

A defamation lawsuit filed by Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan against ruling Civil Contract faction MP Khachatur Sukiasyan has been accepted for proceedings by the Yerevan First Instance Court, according to DataLex judicial portal.

In addition to Khachatur Sukiasyan, the respondents in the case include the Republic of Armenia, represented by the National Assembly staff.

The lawsuit demands that Sukiasyan publicly renounce his “slanderous” statements made in the parliament and compensate for the damage caused to Sargsyan’s honor and dignity.

The case has been assigned to judge Sergey Sahakyan.

It’s yet unclear when the trial will start.

In a speech delivered in the National Assembly on 25 August, Khachatur Sukiasyan claimed that the former president had “gambled away millions of dollars” at Baden-Baden casinos.

Speaking to reporters on 6 September, Sargsyan’s lawyer, Amram Makinyan, said the lawsuit was rather extensive, expressing confidence the court would satisfy their request and oblige the lawmaker to refute his statements.

"The water shortage in Artsakh is critical. Around 20 percent of capital Stepanakert has an issue with access to water, while 80 percent of the communities face the problem," the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Artsakh Republic Gegham Stepanyan told reporters on Thursday. 

He noted that in some communities, the water supply activates at fixed hours during the day and in other location  - once or twice during a week. 

"According to our studies, the issue is conditioned with three main factors: dry weather conditions and water scarcity, the growth of population in Stepanakert by 13-15 thousand as the city hosted displaced people from Artsakh regions and the third factor is most vividly expressed in communities, which is some of the water reserves were left under Azerbaijani occupation, and we have no possibility to access and use them," said Stepanyan. 

 As to the issue of mobile connection and internet access in Artsakh, the Human Rights Ombudsman noted the problem has arose over the past month when the mobile network and internet started operating with interruptions. 

In his words, both Karabakh Telecom and the Ministry of Territorial Administration have confirmed that the Azerbaijani side uses special technical means to jam the mobile signal and internet spread throughout Artsakh.