Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has revealed cases of atrocities and violence against Armenian prisoners of war and the bodies of the dead by the Azerbaijanis.

A fresh report unveiled by Tatoyan on Wednesday, September 8 details fierce battles in Kovsakan (Zangelan) in October 2020, which was later abandoned by the Armenian Armed Forces. Tatoyan noted that on October 20, a group of 61 Armenian soldiers arrived in Kovsakan to fight the units of the Azerbaijani border troops. As a result, some of the new arrivals were killed or taken prisoner.

According to the Ombudsman, the Azerbaijanis consecrated the bodies of the fallen Armenian soldiers, cut off their ears, tied them to armored vehicles, etc. Many of those Azerbaijanis have been identified; the report contains relevant footage. Tatoyan believes these crimes were perpetrated by the Azerbaijani border guards.

The report weighs in on the responsibility of Azerbaijan as a state for gross violations of the rights, torture and inhuman treatment of Armenian prisoners of war by the Azerbaijani armed forces, conditions of captivity, legal protection of the civilian population.

Tatoyan stressed that the report is entirely based on evidence, the document has exceptional validity.

Also Wednesday, the Human Rights Defender said that Armenian civilians and prisoners of war in Azerbaijan have been tortured, including psychologically.