Armenia’s Ombudsman: Everything should be done to prevent today’s war activities through real steps rather than formal calls

Turkey deployed mercenaries from northern part of Syria to Azerbaijan to use them against Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) and Armenia, according to regularly reported information in international media, Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan writes

“It’s about 3,000-4,000 mercenaries, who are hired to participate in these days war activities against Artsakh and Armenia for 1,500-2,000 USD, according to the mentioned media sources. This information has been regularly confirmed by international media, some foreign human rights organizations. This information has been also confirmed by some Artsakh sources,” he stressed.

“This news is exceptionally worrying; it may bring to humanitarian catastrophe being accompanied with not only human losses, but also with severities and destructions.

It should be taken into account that air and artillery attacks launched by Azerbaijan from September 27 are accompanied with massive hate speech and aggressive calls for violence, including killings towards ethnic Armenians, population of Artsakh and Armenia. Apart from this, indiscriminate attacks against Artsakh and Armenia target civilian roads, gas pipelines, means of communication, etc., that are vital for peaceful population. All these elements are parts of one single chain.

It is terrifying to imagine severity of crimes against humanity and war crimes that may be committed in these conditions.

The UN Human Rights Council by its 42/9 resolution of 26 September 2019 has strongly condemned use of mercenaries to impede the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, considering mercenaries’ activities crimes and threat to security, peace and human rights.

Therefore, the worldwide international community and especially human rights organizations must react immediately.

Everything should be done to prevent today’s war activities through real steps rather than formal calls.

The International community and especially human rights organizations have no right to ignore this exceptionally worrying information by hiding under “political” reasons and exonerating this ignorance by “incapability” of their own mandates,” Tatoyan said.