Artsakh should not be viewed as a territorial dispute. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Human Rights Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said this in an interview.

"We must be guided by the priority of the rights of the people of Artsakh, and take into account that the human rights agenda in the world presupposes the universality of human rights. The status of a territory cannot hinder the exercising of the universal rights of the inhabitants of that territory," the Artsakh ombudsman added.

"We are trying to convey that to international organizations. We have invited [international organizations] to visit Artsakh during and after the war [in the fall of 2020]. Sadly, during and after the war, no organization took a clear position, did not show courage to visit Artsakh," the ombudsman said.

He added that human rights organizations simply had to send fact-finding missions—at least to check the ombudsman's reports.

"Sadly, that did not happen. Such indifference causes distrust and disappointment in the Artsakh society. But the work must continue, as Azerbaijan will try to fill the gap—if it arises," Stepanyan said.