RA Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan wrote on his Facebook page ․
“Today the RA Human Rights Defender’s Office received alarms that the Azerbaijani military servicemen are deliberately setting fires near the villages of Verin Shorzha, Nerkin Shorzha and Ayrk of Gegharkunik Province since Yesterday since yesterday. It is mostly about residents’ grasslands and pastures, which are destroyed by fires.
Taking into account that the Azerbaijani armed forces invaded and are located in the immediate vicinity of the villages in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, the fires pose a real threat to the civilian population of the villages as well. Fires also cause serious social problems for people.
This information was passed on to us by the villagers. The ombudsman’s staff thoroughly verified them from several sources, including objective evidence.
Alarm checks show that these subversive crimes against the civilian population of the Republic of Armenia are committed intentionally.
About a month ago, the Azerbaijani military set fires in the same way near the villages of Gegharkunik (Kut, Verin Shorzha, Sotk, etc.). We are talking about highland places where people, together with firemen and rescue workers, had to put out the fire by hand, while the Azerbaijani military simultaneously were setting new fires.
The withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the roads between the villages and communities of the Republic of Armenia has no alternative to guarantee the rights of the border residents of the Republic of Armenia, the peaceful and secure life of the people. Only the existence of security zone can ensure the rights of border residents.
The recent actions of Azerbaijan, including the shootings near the villages of the Republic of Armenia, prove that they are becoming more and more dangerous for the civilian population, they are intentional, they have become targeted, and the violations of rights are of a mass nature.
This next report of the RA Human Rights Defender will be sent to the international structures, as well as to the RA state bodies and the RA civil society organizations separately tomorrow morning.”
