Page 38 - KDK
P. 38
The Report on Human Rights Violations Committed by the
Armenian Armed Forces during Azerbaijan & Armenia War 37
included in an annex to this Statute, by an amendment in accordance with
the relevant provisions set forth in articles 121 and 123;”
During the inspection visits to Ganja and Mingachevir, Azerbaijan, it was observed
that the Armenian armed forces had widened the line of military contact and
targeted cities outside the immediate area of conflict. Several residential buildings
were destroyed by rocket attacks leaving civilians, including children, under the
debris; missiles fell in the vicinity of schools, hospitals and public buildings;
historical artifacts were also damaged; and many civilians were killed and injured
by the attacks. Even if the sides of the conflict decided for a “humanitarian truce”
three times, the Armenian side continued their attacks on civilians within 24
hours of the said decision, causing the losses to increase even further. 94 civilians
including 12 children (one of them was a 1-year-old infant) and 27 women were
killed and 414 civilians were injured by the attacks.
Targeting and killing civilians is, above all, against the “Right to Life” - the
founding principle of all rights - governed by the Article 2 of the European
Convention on Human Rights, which cannot be violated in time of war or other
public emergency threatening the life of the nation. According to the said article:
“Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life
intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of
a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.” In addition, the Article 6 of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child regulates children’s
right to life and development, according to which “States Parties recognize that
every child has the inherent right to life; and ensure to the maximum extent possible the
survival and development of the child”. However, Armenian armed forces targeted
civilians and caused death of 12 children including a 1-year-old infant, violating
their right to life. Moreover, given the fact that schools were also the target of the
attacks, children’s right to life was obviously risked and their right to education
was violated by preventing them from going to school.
It is also confirmed by Human Rights Watch that Armenian armed forces used
cluster munition, which is forbidden to use, and at least another type of long-
range missile, in the Barda attack of October 28, 2020, that killed 21 civilians