Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan today visited the Sev Lake territory and met with the residents of neighboring villages, and the reports to be drawn up based on the results of the monitoring will be forwarded to international organizations. This is what Tatoyan told reporters.

The Ombudsman labeled the actions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces having invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia as criminal presence. “This is a gross violation of the rights of the residents of Armenia’s borderline regions. The Azerbaijani soldiers came with fake maps. Besides the fact that there was no demarcation and delimitation, they are also guided by the clearly fake maps of borders in the Soviet era,” Tatoyan said.

Tatoyan emphasized that as a result of the actions, the residents are unable to use the grazing fields and are deprived of the right to have access to drinking water, and Azerbaijani soldiers are also trying to intimidate peaceful civilians. Their presence is a direct threat to people’s lives and health, as well as from the perspective of the right of access to drinking water for the residents of Goris and Sisian, as well as villages.

In this regard, Tatoyan underscored the need to create a buffer zone and immediately remove the Azerbaijani Armed Forces from the sovereign territory and the so-called ‘disputed territories’ of Armenia.

The Ombudsman informed that he will also visit Gegharkunik Province, adding that the reports to be drawn up based on the results of the monitoring will be presented to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Council of Europe and will be sent to the OSCE.