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The Report on Human Rights Violations Committed by the
Armenian Armed Forces during Azerbaijan & Armenia War 9

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Nagorno-Karabakh (Upper Karabakh) was recognized as an autonomous
oblast under Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic in the year 1923. However,
it has witnessed continual violence and war between the States of Armenia and
Azerbaijan since 1988. Upper Karabakh and 7 districts surrounding this locality
have remained under Armenian occupation for a period of approximately three
decades. Armenia maintained its occupation ignoring the relevant Resolutions
of the United Nations (UN) Security Council and of the UN General Assembly,
which united in “a call for Armenia to withdraw of forces from the Azerbaijani

territory under its occupation”. The efforts put forth in this context by the Minsk
Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) also
failed in securing peace in the region.

And recently, in the morning of 27 September 2020, the Armenian Armed
th
Forces launched intensive attacks against the Azerbaijani army and the districts of
Tartar, Agdam, Fuzuli, and Jabrayil. The attacks were later exacerbated in violence
and moved beyond the conflict zone, shifting towards densely populated civilian
settlements of Azerbaijan and resulting in the killing of a large number of civilians
including women and children. Şeref Malkoç, the Chief Ombudsman and the
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Ombudsmen Association (OICOA), held an inspection visit to Azerbaijan
along with a delegation of the Institution on 21 -23 October 2020 upon the
st
rd
invitation previously extended by Sabina Aliyeva, Ombudsperson of the Republic
of Azerbaijan. During this on-site visit, the Delegation made on-site observations
in the cities of Ganja and Mingachevir. Although these cities are situated rather far
from the conflict zone and do not feature any military significance, they suffered
a large number of civilian losses under the massive assaults launched by Armenia.