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Azerbaijan urges to condemn Armenia for violation of int’l humanitarian law (UPDATE)

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 6 April 2016 19:34 (UTC +04:00)
Azerbaijan calls on international community to condemn Armenia for the gross violation of the international humanitarian law.

Details added (first version posted on 18:06)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 6

Trend:

Azerbaijan calls on international community to condemn Armenia for the gross violation of the international humanitarian law, said Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry Apr. 6 in a statement on the aggravation of the military conflict between the two countries.

Armenia has been using force against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, read the statement.

"Armenia occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territories and ethnically cleansed about one million Azerbaijanis from those areas, and committed numerous other war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide," says the Foreign Ministry.

Armenia openly disregards the UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884, which reaffirm the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and demand immediate, full and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces from Azerbaijani territories, according to the statement.

"Starting from the early morning of April 2, 2016, Armenia has intensified its military activity in the conflict area, which has been accompanied with numerous acts of violation of international humanitarian law tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," says the statement.

Armenia has been conducting systematic, deliberate and targeted attacks on non-combatant civilian population encompassing inter alia women, children and elderly residing in the densely populated areas adjacent to the line of contact of the armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan, added the ministry.

"As a result of the bombardment of 32 settlements, 6 civilians, among them 2 children below 16 years, were killed and 26 civilians were seriously wounded," says the statement. "Without timely use of effective civil defense measures, the number of causalities among population would be significantly higher."

"Substantial damages were inflicted upon private and public property, including civilian critical infrastructure," says the statement. "232 private houses, 99 electricity poles, 3 electrical substations, kilometers of water and gas pipelines were destroyed."

Guided missile attacks were directed on social facilities, including schools, hospitals, and places of worship, according to the statement.

"Instruction had to be suspended in 28 of the damaged schools," said the ministry. "One mosque was hit during prayer with high-caliber artillery shells."

"Armenia's actions represent a grave violation of international humanitarian law, in particular the provisions of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocols thereto, as well as 1954 Hague Convention on the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict," says the statement. "As a result of those deliberate attacks, a large number of civilians have been deprived of their basic rights to life, health, property, education, communication, and practicing their religion."

"Azerbaijan has taken appropriate measures to counter Armenia's use of force against its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and to ensure the safety of civilian population and property within its internationally recognized borders," added the ministry. "Azerbaijan has repeatedly brought to the attention of the international community that the primary reason of the tension in the region is the unlawful presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the territories of Azerbaijan."

"The recent actions of the military dictatorship of Armenia, which is led by a group of war criminals, represents a serious challenge to international peace and security, and the values that the civilized world stands for," according to the statement.

"The Republic of Azerbaijan calls upon the international community to condemn Armenia on its blatant violation of international humanitarian law," read the statement. "Azerbaijan will spare no efforts to ensure peace and justice in the region."

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