Information on the act of aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan

DNA REPORT

On September 27, 2020 the armed forces of Armenia blatantly violating the ceasefire regime have launched another aggression against Azerbaijan, by intensively attacking the positions of the armed forces of Azerbaijan along the frontline, as well as the villages of Qapanli of Terter district, Chiragli and OrtaGaravend of Aghdam district, Alkhanli and Shukurbeyli of Fizuli district and JojuqMerjanli of Jabrayil district, using large-caliber weapons, mortar launchers and artillery.

As a result there have been casualties among the civilians and military servicemen of Azerbaijan. Extensive damage has been inflicted on many houses and other civilian infrastructure.

In order to repel another military aggression by Armenia and ensure the security of civilians and densely populated residential areas deep inside the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan undertake counter-offensive measures within the right of self-defense and in full compliance with the international humanitarian law.

The recent aggression by Armenia against Azerbaijan is yet another blatant violation of fundamental norms and principles of international law, the international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and its Additional Protocols, as well as the United Nations Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 of 1993 demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the armed forces of Armenia from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

This act of aggression by Armenia against Azerbaijan is the continuation of the latest provocations of the Armenian side, including its armed attack in the direction of Tovuz region on 12-16 July, 2020, the sabotage-reconnaissance group’s provocation in the direction of Goranboydistrict on August 23, illegal settlement of ethnic Armenians in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, as well as other provocative statements and actions of the Armenian leadership (non-exhaustive list is herewith attached).

With these actions, Armenia has undermined the process for the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Full responsibility for the present situation falls on the political-military leadership of Armenia.

At this situation, when Armenia clearly disregards norms and principles of international law, undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,  grossly violates international humanitarian law by deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, it is incumbent on the international community more than ever to demonstrate principled position and express its solidarity with Azerbaijan in its just struggle to defendits sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protect its population.

Being well aware of the fact that the illegal presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions of Azerbaijan is a serious threat to regional peace and security and demonstrating the principled position based on the norms and principles of international law in face of the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and its illegal activities, the international community should extend firm support to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of borders of Azerbaijan, and its actions in self-defense, and strongly condemn Armenia’s policy of aggression and provocative activities against Azerbaijan and force Armenia to comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. This is the moment of truth for entire international community

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Joint statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan

On 27 September 27 2020, the Armed Forces of Armenia, in gross violation of the ceasefire regime, launched another aggression against Azerbaijan shelling the positions of the Republic of Azerbaijan along the line of contact from large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery.

On September 27-29, as part of the ongoing military aggression of Armenia, along with the Terter, Aghdam and Jabrayil regions of Azerbaijan, the Goranboy, Naftalan and Dashkesan regions were subjected to artillery fire by the Armed Forces of Armenia.

Armenia, in violation of the norms and principles of international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, deliberately shelled civilian population and infrastructure of Azerbaijan, and thus committed various crimes against the civilian population.

As of September 29, 2020, 10 Azerbaijani civilians were killed, including two schoolchildren aged 13 and 14 respectively. 30 civilians were injured.

On 27 September 2020, circa 6 p.m., an artillery shell fired by the armed forces of Armenia, hit the courtyard of a private residential house in the village of Gashalty-Garagoyunlu, Naftalan district, that belonged to a resident of the village Mr. Elbrus Isa oglu Gurbanov. As a result of the shell explosion, those present in the house – Mr. Gurbanov and 4 members of his family – were killed. Regional prosecutor’s office has initiated a criminal case under Articles 120.2.1 (premeditated murder by a criminal organization), 120.2.4 (murder by a group of persons, previously committed by a group of persons with hooligan intentions, with particular cruelty), 120.2.7 (premeditated murder of two or more persons), 120.2.12 (premeditated murder with intent to national, racial, religious hatred or enmity), 100.2 (conduct aggressive war) and other relevant articles of the Criminal Code.

As a result of intensive fire from large-caliber weapons, artillery and mortars by the armed forces of Armenia along the line of contact from the occupied territories of Aghdam region, a shell hit the Evoglu village of Aghdam district on September 28, 2020 circa 7 a.m. Mr. Joshgun Anver oglu Pashayev, born in 1979, was badly injured and died later at the hospital.

On September 28, 2020, circa 11 a.m., Mr. Mehman Sovet oglu Aliyev, born in 1975, died from shell shrapnel near the administrative building of the District Court on Heydar Aliyev avenue in Tartar. The driver of the ambulance Mr. Ganbar Asgar oglu Asadov, born in 1968, and police officer Mr. Fakhraddin Farman oglu Huseynov, born in 1994, and another resident of Tartar city Mr. Tural Firdovsi oglu Ibrahimov, born in 1991, were injured.

Circa 7 p.m., as a result of artillery shell explosion in the yard of a multi-level apartment building built for the disabled and IDPs located in Shikharkh settlement of Tartar region, the residents of Tartar region Mr. Khalig Asif oglu Abbasov, born in 1981 and his brother Mr. Elshan Asif oglu Abbasov, born in 1987, as well as Mr. Sabit Usub oglu Asadov, born in 1981, were killed. Mr. Seymur Fuzuli oglu Mammadov, born in 1984, and Mr. Faig Malik oglu Mahmudov, born in 1989, were hospitalized with various injuries.

On 28 September 2020, circa 6:40 p.m., the armed forces of Armenia shelled the “Shamlig” area near the village of Jojuq Marjanli with large-caliber artillery. Village resident Mr. Hilal Murad oglu Hazila, born in 2000, was injured.

In all incidents, the regional prosecutor’s offices in charge launched official criminal investigations in accordance with the Criminal Code articles.

The prosecutor’s office personnel are taking all necessary investigative measures in combat conditions, including appointment of relevant experts to determine the severity of human injuries and damage to civil infrastructure.

Five criminal cases were sent to the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office to continue the investigation.

We strongly condemn these war crimes, for which Armenia bears the responsibility, and demand to put an end to attempts to target civilians and intimidate the peaceful population.

We call on the international community to strongly condemn the new aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, shelling the Azerbaijani civilians and infrastructure, and to ensure that Armenia complies with its obligations under international law, as well as international humanitarian law.

Armenia’s provocative actions since Nikol Pashinyan

has become the Prime Minister of Armenia on May 8, 2018

Date	Action
8 May 2018	In his address to Armenia’s National Assembly, prior to his election as PM, N.Pashinyan raised the issue of participation of the illegal regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan as a party to the negotiations. Thus, he has started questioning the format of negotiations and has been doing so on numerous occasions.
9 May 2018	On the next day of the election, together with his wife, N.Pashinyan visited the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. In Khankendi, he participated in celebration of occupation of the Azerbaijani city of Shusha, discussed the issue of improving of the mechanism of “restraint of the enemy” and opened the “Armenian Dram Museum” in Shusha.
16 June 2018	N.Pashinyan visited again the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, inspected positions of the armed forces of Armenia in the eastern part of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region and held military consultations with illegal regime “officials”.
9 July 2018	N.Pashinyan sent his son to undergo military service in the units of armed forces of Armenia deployed in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. He said that this gesture had been intended to encourage more Armenians to be enlisted in the army.
8 Sept.  2018	In meeting with the Russian-Armenian businessmen in Moscow, N.Pashinyan openly said that “he perceived Artsakh as part of Armenia in the future”.
27 February 2019	Armenia’s National Security Service Director Artur Vanetsyan at a press conference in the occupied Khankendi city said: “The program that we call a resettlement program, in my and everyone’s assessment will be the main guarantee of our country’s security. Because there are those speeches, those expressions, and those people who always manipulate this subject as if the lands will be returned, will be negotiated, conceded, etc. As a result of that program, we will send a clear message to all our people and the world that we have no intention to give up an inch of land; on the contrary, our compatriots must settle on those lands and build our country.”
12 March 2019	N.Pashinyan visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and in Khankendi city of Azerbaijan, held joint meeting of the Security Councils of Armenia and the illegal regime created by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
30 March  2019	In a meeting with the Armenian community in New York the Armenian Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan stated that a “territories for peace” approach will no longer be applied. “As the minister of defense, I announce that this format, territories for peace, I have re-phrased it. We are doing the opposite – a new war for new territories,” Tonoyan said. He also said that Armenia will increase the number of its strike units.
9 May 2019	N.Pashinyan visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan where he took part in the celebrations of occupation of Shusha city.
30 May 2019	Armenia grossly violated the ceasefire regime on the front line. At a time when the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group paid a visit to Azerbaijan, on May 30 in the morning, a major of the Azerbaijan Army Mr. Agil Omarov was shot and killed by a sniper of the armed forces of Armenia in the direction of the Aghdam district.
10 June 2019	Minister of Defence D.Tonoyan confirmed that he had personally ordered the killing of an Azerbaijani soldier in the direction of Tartar district of the front line and publicly awarded the murder of an Azerbaijani soldier.
5 August 2019	Ahead of the start of the Pan-Armenian Games, N.Pashinyan declared that “Artsakh is Armenia. Period.” and the crowd chanted “Miatsum” (Unification).
6-17 August 2019	Armenia held pan-Armenian Games, for the first time, in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
9 August 2019	Armenia announced another 4-year project aimed at changing infrastructure of the Sarsang Water Reservoir. Also, the Armenian side announced construction of the third highway to connect Armenia with the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. These infrastructural changes, which are in violation of international law and Azerbaijani legislation, aim at consolidation of occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan.
24 Sept. – 5 October 2019	Armenian armed forces held large-scale military exercises entitled “The expansion of the Armed Forces: Combating the adversary’s aggression” in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
23 December  2019	Joint session of the Security Councils of Armenia and the illegal regime established by Armenia in the occupied territories was held in Yerevan co-chaired by Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and “President” of the illegal regime Arayik Harutyunyan.
31 March 2020	Armenia held illegal “parliamentary” and “presidential” elections in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
21 April 2020	Commenting the remarks by Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, S.Lavrov, on “liberation of a number of areas around Nagorno-Karabakh and the unlocking of transport, economic and other communications”, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said: “There have not been and will not be any concessions. The Armenian sides will never exercise that approach”.
23 April 2020	Armenia’s MFA declared that proposal for a peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, envisaging a step-by-step approach, is not acceptable.
26 June 2020	Armed forces of Armenia, with the participation of the Chief of Staff Onik Gasparyan, held military exercises in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
10 July 2020	Armenia adopted a revised National Security Strategy, which defined that the goal of the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh conflict was to consolidate the outcomes of the war launched by Armenia against Azerbaijan.
12-16 July 2020	Armenia attacked the positions of Azerbaijan at the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border, in the direction of the Tovuz district. 12 servicemen of Azerbaijan and one civilian were killed.
23 July 2020	N.Pashinyan declared that after the July clashes the Armenian position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh conflict has been strengthened and he put forward 7 conditions, stipulating, inter alia, the following: the system of security of Armenia and the illegal regime “to be strengthened, the illegal regime “must become the full-fledged party to negotiations”, international monitoring of the cease-fire regime must be strengthened, and etc.
4 August 2020	After the devastating explosion in Beirut, Armenia announced its plan to implant Lebanese Armenians to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. According to the Armenian mass media, several Armenians from Lebanon have already settled in the occupied territories, including in Shusha. Thus, Armenia intensified its illegal settlement policy in 2020.
11 August 2020	The illegal regime announced its intention of transferring “key administrative offices” to the occupied Shusha city.
17 August 2020	The illegal regime threatened to strike Azerbaijani city of Ganja.
26 August 2020	The Armenian Defense Ministry announced the plan to create a nationwide militia that would reinforce Armenia’s armed forces and could be deployed at “endangered sections” of Armenia’s borders or “line of contact with the adversary”.
28 August 2020	N.Pashinyan held the ceremony to award Armenian servicemen who conducted military operation against Azerbaijan on July 12-16, 2020. In his speech, he again praised Armenian terrorists, such as Monte Melkonian, for their deeds against Azerbaijani civilians in the course of military operations in early 1990s.
25-31 August 2020	Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Armenia’s Prime Minister, together with other women participated in combat and shooting training courses in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Videos and photos of the training were widely distributed in media.
29 August 2020	N.Pashinyan visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. He awarded servicemen who took part in the military aggression against Azerbaijan both in early 1990s and in July 2020.
21 Sept. 2020	N.Pashinyan issued a message to the nation on 29th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. 2nd line of the message reads “To the proud citizens of the Artsakh Republic!” [i.e. Karabakh].