Azerbaijan addresses UN over Armenia’s use of illegal armed groups in Nagorno-Karabakh war
By Ayya Lmahamad
Azerbaijan Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev has addressed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet over Armenia’s use of illegal armed groups and formations and Yerevan’s attacks on civilians during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.
In a letter sent to Bachelet, the Prosecutor General stated that in violation of human rights, international humanitarian law, and UN conventions, Armenia’s military-political leadership invited “volunteers”- foreign citizens of Armenian origin to participate in hostilities on the territory of Azerbaijan.
It was noted that the establishment of illegal armed groups and formations is considered a crime both in the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan and in the legislation of many foreign countries.
The names and surnames of some mercenaries who took part in the hostilities against Azerbaijan individually or in groups, and the list of countries of which they are citizens, were provided.
It was stated that French citizens - Artur Hovhannisyan, a member of the terrorist organization ASALA Gilbert Minasyan (along with 15 people whose names are unknown to the investigation), Marc de Cacquerey, leader of the Zouaves Paris-Valmenir extremist group, Vahagn Chakhalyan, already deprived of Georgian citizenship, Kharmik Hovsepiyan, a citizen of Iran, Sergei Serov, a citizen of Belarus, Arushan Badasyan, a citizen of U.S., and others, participated in hostilities as mercenaries.
Moreover, during the inspection of the territories liberated from the Armenian occupation, signs confirming the ethnic origin of the mercenaries were found on the bodies of two victims, Aliyev said.
On these facts, the General Prosecutor’s Office has initiated criminal proceedings under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code, and an investigation is underway.
Furthermore, the Prosecutor General underlined the deliberate attack of Armenian armed forces on Azerbaijani civilian population and the use of prohibited phosphorous munitions.
It was noted that “Scud” and “Smerch” missiles had so far been used not only on the battlefield, but also against civilians, which was documented by such international organizations as Human Right Watch and Amnesty International, and was described as “cruel and unthinkable”.
Earlier, international human rights watchdogs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch verified the use of banned cluster bombs by Armenia in an attack on the Azerbaijani city of Barda.
It should be noted that during the next shelling of Barda region on November 7, a 16-year-old Shahmaly Rahimov was killed, bringing total civilian death toll to 93. Thus, ninety-three civilians have been killed, 407 injured in Armenia's heavy artillery attacks on Azerbaijan’s densely populated areas since September 27. In addition, as a result of the shelling of civilian infrastructure facilities by the occupying country's armed forces, 3,326 houses and 120 multi-apartment residential buildings, as well as 504 civilian facilities were severely damaged.
Additionally, the prosecutor noted that Armenia had fired at Tartar, Aghjabadi and Goranboy regions at different times five times, both on the battlefield and outside the conflict zone, using prohibited and extremely dangerous phosphorous ammunitions.
Providing the above facts proving the crimes, detailed photos and videos, the Prosecutor General asked the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to include these facts in future statements and reports and to take actions to bring the Armenian leadership to justice.
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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad
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