On July 13, 2020, Chinari village of the Armenian Tavush region was subjected to targeted shelling by Azerbaijani armed forces.

The Human Rights Defender received such alarming complaints from the residents and the head of community օf Chinari. They reported that the Azerbaijani armed forces fired about a dozen projectiles, residential buildings were damaged.

Residents of the village of Chinari sent a photo apparently taken to the Human Rights Defender’s Office which testifies to the damage caused to one of the houses in the village due to the shelling. In another case, the roof of a residential house was damaged, and children were in the house at the time of the shelling.

Immediately after receiving the alarming complaints addressed to the Human Rights Defender, the Ministry of Defense made an official statement according to which the Azerbaijani armed forces fired 7 times from 82 mm mortars in the direction of Chinari village and 3 projectiles from a 120 mm caliber mortar.

The alarming complaints addressed to the Human Rights Defender, the official statements of the state authorities of Armenia and mass media publications testify that the civilian peaceful settlement of Armenia was targeted. The shelling causes a real danger for the civilian population, their health, life and their property.

The Human Rights Defender’s office continues to maintain direct contact with the residents of villages of Tavush region and the heads of administrative communities. Complete monitoring, independent collection of information and facts is carried out.

The Human Rights Defender strongly condemns the shelling of civilian settlements which was carried out by targeting the civilian population, their health, life and property.

This is even more condemnable during the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. On March 23, the Secretary-General of the United Nations called for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world due to the threat of coronavirus.

These records will be summarized and sent to international organizations with a new report. The Human rights defender’s additional statement will be published.