Report on violations of humanitarian law in conflict zone released in Stepanakert

Ruben Melikyan, the Ombudsman of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has prepared a report on violations of the international humanitarian law by Azerbaijan during the exacerbation of the Karabakh conflict in April this year. The paper presents evidence of torture and executions, including of civilians.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the situation in the Karabakh conflict zone sharply escalated at night on April 2; at midday on April 5, the parties declared a truce. Nevertheless, they regularly exchange accusations about shelling of each other's positions.

The NKR Ombudsman has explained that his report is presented in two versions: for public awareness, where there are no details of murders and torture; and in a restricted version – for the authorities, engaged in human rights defence.

According to Ruben Melikyan, the report shows that during the April escalation, traces of torture, executions and abuse were fixed, which "were well-organized."

A 92-year-old woman was tortured in the village of Talish; three soldiers of the NKR's Defence Army were beheaded; two of them were beheaded after their death, and one was executed in this cruel way, the Ombudsman has reported, believing that the revealed violations demand reaction of human rights organizations.

Let us remind you that after the escalation of the conflict in April, the spokesman of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Azerbaijan stated that Armenia had initiated a campaign of provocations.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.