Azerbaijan encourages crimes against Armenians at the state level. This is what Armenia’s Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan told reporters today.

The human rights defender recalled a number of sensational murders, including the murder of Gurgen Margaryan, the assassination attempt of Hayk Makuchyan and the murder of Manvel Saribekyan and added that the European Court of Human Rights has also confirmed the ethnic ground of the crimes.

“During the war, the Ombudspersons of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) presented a joint report that only presents facts about the committal of crimes against Armenians and the encouragement to commit those crimes. Real owners and cultural and sport figures on social networks call on settling scores with Armenians. Hatred is generated by Azerbaijan’s leadership and encouraged by cultural and sport figures. Cynicism is at such a level that a serviceman cuts off the ears of Armenian prisoners without hiding his face because he knows that he won’t be punished and will receive a state award. In such conditions, can we really talk about peaceful coexistence? An entire generation grew up with that hatred. Serious efforts need to be made to overcome this, but first the Armenian population needs security guarantees. Yes, friendly and neighborly relations are necessary, and yes, enmity is a bad thing, but in such conditions, it is hard to picture peaceful coexistence, especially when all this continues,” Tatoyan said.