Armenia Ombudsman repeats need for security zone amid Azeri violence

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani troops throwing stones at Armenian cars substantiates the Human Rights Defender's concept that a security zone should be created in Syunik to guarantee the rights of the Armenian citizens, Defender Arman Tatoyan said Tuesday, April 6.

Media reports revealed on Tuesday that between 4:00 and 5:00 in the morning, the Azerbaijani military, stationed on the section of Davit Bek-Shurnukh villages on the Kapan-Yerevan interstate highway, threw stones at a civilian car with Armenian license plates.

The Defender initiated a fact-finding mission with the participation of the Syunik division of the Defender's staff. As part of this effort, the investigation of the incident on the road between the villages of Davit Bek-Shurnukh confirmed that Azerbaijani troops were stationed at the site.

The information about the incident was confirmed to the Human Rights Defender by the head of Kapan community, noting that the car was a civilian vehicle carrying passengers and Armenian license plates.

"The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia emphasizes that what occurred clearly testifies to the real threat to the internationally recognized rights of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia enshrined in the Constitution. This, is in specific reference to people's rights to life, physical and mental health, integrity, property and other vital needs," Tatoyan said.

"The information about this incident clearly substantiates the Human Rights Defender's concept that there should be a security zone in Syunik to guarantee the rights of the RA citizens. There should be no Azerbaijani soldiers, signs or flags on the roads between the communities near the villages of the Syunik region."