Ombudsman's Office documented Azerbaijani attacks on civilians, damages to vital infrastructure and the use of banned weapons

The Office of the Artsakh Human Rights Defender has released the second interim report on the Azerbaijani atrocities against Artsakh population in September -October 2020. The report presents the facts of targeted attacks on civilian settlements and casualties derived also the deployment of mercenaries and the use of multiple rocket launching systems and cluster munitions from 27 September to 9 October.

 

It is noted that for the purpose of preparation of the report, fact-finding missions were commissioned, conducted interviews and applications submitted to the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh, inquiries to public authorities, as well as, media and social media publications have been analyzed.

 

According to the report, as of 9 October 2020, 20 civilians (8 females and 12 males, 1 child and 19 adults) have been killed.3 60% of them were killed at the places of their residence.

 

More than 100 civilians were wounded, of which 81 received serious injuries. The injuries mostly involve upper and lower limbs and facial fractures, in the form of shrapnel wounds. About half of the serious injuries among civilians occurred in their places of residence, about one-third – in public places, 11 civilians received

serious injuries at their workplaces, and 6 civilians - while moving to a safer place.

 

As part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against civilian population, wanton destruction of homes and other property was carried out with discriminatory intent against ethnic Armenians. Based on preliminary data, more than 5,800 privately owned immovable

property (residential houses, apartments, shops, etc), more than 960 infrastructure, public and industrial buildings (electricity, gas, telecommunication, water supplies, bridges, schools, kindergartens, cultural centers, factories etc) and more than 520 cars have been seriously damaged.

 

The Azerbaijani aggression also included indiscriminate attacks in villages of Vardenis Region, Gegharkunik Province of Armenia, which are presented in the ad hoc report of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

 

The full document can be accessed at the website of the Human Rights Defender here