BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 11
Trend:
The killings of civilians in Azerbaijan, committed by Armenia, have not yet received a legal assessment at the international level, the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva said in her appeal in connection with the first anniversary of the shelling of Ganja by Armenia with heavy artillery, which led to casualties and destruction, Trend reports.
"On October 11, 2020, at about 02:00 (GMT+4), the Armenian armed forces from the territory of Armenia shelled, for the second time, from the prohibited ballistic missile system Scud-B apartment buildings in the central part of Ganja, located far from the combat zone," says the appeal.
"As a result of the attack, dozens of civilians, including children, women, were killed and injured, and numerous infrastructure facilities were seriously damaged. By deliberately targeting the civilian population, Armenia grossly violated the norms of international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions, the Hague Convention "On the Protection of Cultural Property in Time of Armed Conflict", as well as the humanitarian ceasefire declared on October 10, 2020," the appeal says.
It is noted that the Azerbaijani Ombudsman carried out a mission in Ganja to investigate the deaths and injuries of civilians during the next attack by the Armenian armed forces, and a corresponding report was sent to international organizations.
"The appeals and reports of the fact-finding mission contain irrefutable evidence. Despite this, the facts of massive violations of human rights and freedoms that took place during military operations have not yet received a legal assessment at the international level," the appeal says.
The Ombudsman once again called on the world community to give a legal assessment of the facts of gross violation of the norms and principles of international humanitarian law by Armenia and to take measures against the leadership of Armenia, which is responsible for these crimes.
The appeal was sent to the UN Secretary General, the Security Council of the world organization and its other structures, the leadership of UNICEF, UNESCO, EU, CE, OSCE, international and European ombudsmen institutions, the Asian Ombudsmen Association, the OIC and the Ombudsmen Association of the member states of this organization, the Independent Standing Commission on human rights OIC, International Peace Bureau, European Network of Ombudsmen for Children's Rights, Federation for World Peace, ombudsmen of various countries and national human rights institutions, embassies of foreign countries in Azerbaijan, diaspora organizations.