Armenia must be held accountable for using children in battles, Azerbaijani expert [VIDEO]

By Trend

It is important for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to give a legal assessment for the unacceptable facts of involvement of children in hostilities by Armenia, Ph.D. in law, Azerbaijani expert on international law, Elgun Safarov told Trend.

Safarov noted that acts of conscription or mobilization of children under the age of 15, as well as their active use in military operations in the framework of international and non-international conflicts, are classified by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as war crimes.

He stressed that the decisions made by the Armenian government in violation of the ICC requirements and the Geneva Conventions should be given a legal assessment and responsibility for them should be determined.

Reports, appeals, and other documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ombudsman, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of Azerbaijan were submitted to international organizations to determine responsibility for these war crimes, said the expert.

"The fact of involvement of criminal groups separate from the Armenian armed forces to military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh is also being investigated by the law enforcement agencies of Azerbaijan. Resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 of the UN Security Council require the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 adjacent regions of Azerbaijan," noted Safarov.

"These days, the valiant Azerbaijani army is carrying out these decisions. This territory is under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan. Representatives of the Armenian government should be held accountable in accordance with the charter of the ICC for the forced involvement of minors living in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh into the army," added the expert.

Trend once again presents video footage proving that Armenia uses children in hostilities:

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