Showing posts with label AZERBAIJAN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AZERBAIJAN. Show all posts

Monday, 19 October 2020

Ombudsman issues appeal regarding shelling on cemetery in Tartar city of Azerbaijan

Ombudsman issues appeal regarding shelling on cemetery in Tartar city of Azerbaijan


Representatives of various religious communities in our country also appealed to the world community and religious leaders to protest against the constant shelling of densely populated civilian settlements in Azerbaijan, as well as against the terror act as killing of civilians during the funeral in the city cemetery in Tartar by the Armenian Army


BAKU, OCT 19 – The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Sabina Aliyeva issued an appeal in connection with the intentional intense shelling of the city cemetery in Terter by the Armenian armed forces, on Sunday with reference to the Office of the Ombudsman.


We, with sense of sorrow, are proclaiming that Armenian armed forces, since September 27, 2020, have been continuing to intensively launch fire using heavy artillery and special rocket systems on densely populated civilian settlements, social, cultural and strategic facilities, historical, cultural, religious buildings of Azerbaijan and even the cemeteries that are touching moral values of the people.

The Armenian side, in violation of the agreed humanitarian ceasefire declared from October 10, 2020, have continued to deliberately fire at the densely populated settlements of Azerbaijan. Subsequently, 4 civilians were killed and 4 were wounded due to the Armenian armed forces’ intentional attack on the city cemetery during a funeral in Tartar district at early hours in the morning of October 15, 2020, in flagrant violation of general norms and principles of 1949 Geneva Conventions, which is a particularly barbaric act and a crime against humanity.

The regular shelling of civilian settlements and holy places by the Armenian armed forces proves once again that Armenia, a mono-ethnic state, took the fascism as an ideology and is intolerant of people of other nationalities and faiths. Unlike an aggressor Armenia, Azerbaijan is a multiethnic, tolerant, and multicultural state, where different people of various religious backgrounds co-exist at friendly and brotherhood environment. Azerbaijan as an independent state with democratic principles creates equal opportunities for all peoples living on its territory, irrespective of their religion, language, race, etc. grounds. 

Azerbaijan as a meeting point of various civilizations, for centuries, was recognized as a place of national and cultural diversity, where people of different ethnicities and confessions have been living at the environment of peace, tranquility, mutual understanding and dialogue. Only in Baku, there are over twenty associations and cultural centers of the Russians, Ukrainians, Kurdish, Laks, Lesgins, Slavs, Tats, Tatars, Georgians, Ingiloys, Talishs, Avars, Meskhetian Turks, Europeans and Mountain Jews, Georgian Jews and Germans. 

Along with mosques, in the capital city, there are also Catholic and Orthodox churches, Jewish synagogues as places of worship for believers. In Azerbaijan, there have been developed a special model of interreligious dialogue that is a good practice for many polyethnic regions of the world. Today, in numerous higher educational facilities of the world is taught a course on “Azerbaijani model of multiculturalism”.

Representatives of various religious communities in our country also appealed to the world community and religious leaders to protest against the constant shelling of densely populated civilian settlements in Azerbaijan, as well as against the terror act as killing of civilians during the funeral in the city cemetery in Tartar by the Armenian Army.

We would like to emphasize that the Government of Armenia and its diaspora are biased and systematically trying to present the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan as a religious confrontation and by doing so, it deliberately seeks to disguise the fact of occupation, approved by four UN Security Council Resolutions and to create the impression of a religious confrontation among uninformed individuals. 

Such propaganda about our country, which is included in the list of the most religiously tolerant countries and recognized as a country without anti-Semitism and religious discrimination in all relevant rankings, is, of course, regrettable and surprising. In this regard, it is worth only noting that Pope Francis visited our capital in 2016, which was declared the year of multiculturalism in the country, and officially stated at the Meeting with the President that religious freedom is guaranteed in our country. 

Azerbaijan has also restored the catacombs of St. Marcelino and Pietro in the Vatican. According to the international opinion, Azerbaijan is an exemplary, secular state, where the right to tolerance and freedom of conscience is guaranteed and the first secular democratic republic was established in the Muslim East. From this point of view, the propaganda that the Armenian side is trying to exaggerate the religious factor is unfounded and is clearly doomed to destruction.

We, once again urge the world community, religious leaders and international organizations to demand on the occupant Armenia to refrain unconditionally from criminal acts against civilian population of Azerbaijan that is a blatant violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, causing to casualties and disrespect for material, spiritual and religious values, to liberate Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent districts, which are historical and internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan and to take urgent steps to establish international legal responsibility against this country.


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Sunday, 18 October 2020

Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to declare ‘humanitarian truce’

Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to declare ‘humanitarian truce’


The announcement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held phone talks with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan and highlighted “the need to strictly follow” a ceasefire deal agreed in Moscow last Saturday, according to the foreign ministry


STEPANAKERT: The foreign ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan have said they will declare a “humanitarian truce” from midnight (2000 GMT, Saturday) after nearly three weeks of fighting over a disputed region.

 

It will be a second attempt of the warring sides to declare a ceasefire to quell almost three weeks of clashes over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region that have killed hundreds of people.

 

“The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have agreed to a humanitarian truce as of October 18, 00h00 local time [2000 GMT],” Armenia’s foreign ministry said late on Saturday.

 

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry in an identical statement confirmed the move.


The announcement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held phone talks with his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan and highlighted “the need to strictly follow” a ceasefire deal agreed in Moscow last Saturday, according to the foreign ministry.

 

Announcement came after Russian foreign minister held talks with warring sides

 

The ministry in Moscow said the two sides also confirmed the importance of beginning “substantive” talks to settle the conflict.

 

Armenia and Azerbaijan had last Saturday agreed to a ceasefire after 11 hours of talks, mediated by Lavrov in Moscow, but then both also accused each other of violating the deal.

 

Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region of Azerbaijan mainly inhabited by ethnic Armenians and backed by Yerevan, has been the scene of deadly clashes since September 27.

 

According to an official, but partial, toll more than 700 people have been killed in the clashes.

 

The mountainous western region of Azerbaijan has remained under separatist Armenian control since a 1994 ceasefire ended a brutal war that killed 30,000.


Azerbaijan’s statement

Earlier on Saturday, the ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan issued a statement, condemning the attacks by Armenia.

 

It said: “On the night of October 17, the armed forces of Armenia attacked the Ganja city of Azerbaijan with ballistic missiles. This, third in a row, atrocious attack on the second biggest city of Azerbaijan, since the new aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, situated far away from the frontline, caused serious civilian casualties; 12 civilians, including two minors killed, more than 40 people injured.

 

“Armenia’s deliberate and indiscriminate targeting of civilians, in a blatant violation of norms and principles of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as declared humanitarian ceasefire, the purposeful killing of peaceful people constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity and the leadership of Armenia bears full responsibility for this crime.

 

“Continuous aggression of Armenia, cruel attacks on the civilians must be stopped and the international community should not turn a blind eye to these inhuman acts by Armenia against the people of Azerbaijan.

 

“We condemn in the strongest manner vicious attacks by Armenia against the Azerbaijani civilians and urge this aggressor state to stop its war crimes.

 

The political-military leadership of Armenia, using terror as the state policy, bear responsibility for giving an order on the rocket selling the peaceful population. The Republic of Azerbaijan declares that based on the national and international law mechanisms the perpetrators of this crime will be brought to justice,” the statement added.



COURTESY DAWN NEWS!

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Saturday, 17 October 2020

Azerbaijani Army conducting exemplary military operations, says Umud Mirzayev

Azerbaijani Army conducting exemplary military operations, says Umud Mirzayev


Umud Mirzayev said that the war is not just carried out in the trenches, adding that Azerbaijan is also fighting in many areas


Azerbaijani Army is conducting very brave and exemplary military operations and defeating the enemy at every battle.


This was said by the President of the International Eurasia Press Fund Umud Mirzayev while commenting on Armenian aggression at “Ictimai” TV channel’s “Attention Center” program yesterday.

Umud Mirzayev maintained that Azerbaijan is (was) a supporter of peace but Armenia responded peace initiatives it with its insidious intentions.

The head of the IEPF said that he is confident that Azerbaijan will win: “I do not think that a third party will be involved in the conflict. During all this time, I have said in all my messages that this war will end in victory, and we will win, then we will return to our lands. Because, Azerbaijani people have been expelled from their homes and lands, and we are on the right side.

He said that the struggle for the liberation of Azerbaijani lands cannot be expressed in the word.

Umud Mirzayev said that the war is not just carried out in the trenches, adding that Azerbaijan is also fighting in many areas.

“Today, Azerbaijan is struggling on many fronts. War is not just in the trenches. The war is also in diplomacy, information, economy and many other areas.”

He also stressed that he is proud that our people are united around the state these days. At the same time, the IEPF President noted that the Azerbaijani Army is conducting very brave and exemplary military operations.


COURTESY DND!

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Thousands of children in Azerbaijan suffer from constant aggression of Armenia: MFA

Thousands of children in Azerbaijan suffer from constant aggression of Armenia: MFA


Tens of thousands of Azerbaijani children continue to realize their right to education under serious challenges stemming from their continued displacement. Many others along the line of confrontation attend their classes under the constant threat of being attacked by the indiscriminate bombing of the armed forces of Armenia


BAKU, OCT 17 – “It is almost three decades that hundreds of thousands of children in Azerbaijan suffer from the ongoing aggression of Armenia and its long lasting effects,” Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement condemning the grave violations committed by Armenia against the children in Azerbaijan.

“During this period, Armenia ignoring moral imperatives and legal responsibilities, deprived the Azerbaijani children of their inherent rights defined in the international documents, as well as their right to be brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of peace, dignity, equality and solidarity as described in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The protection guaranteed for children by the IV Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilians and I Additional Protocol, in particular the right to life, prohibition of corporal punishment, torture, collective punishment and reprisals, and the rules defined in these documents on the conduct of hostilities, such as the necessity of distinction between civilians and combatants and prohibition of attacks against civilians have been constantly infringed by Armenia.

Armenia has also clearly ignored its obligations deriving from the principle of special protection for children laid down in I Additional Protocol which provides that “children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of indecent assault.

Armenia has been using acts of genocide as a means to instill fear and to terrorize the entire population and force them to flee. Only in Khojaly massacre 613 civilians of whom 63 were children were brutally killed and many were maimed by the armed forces of Armenia in 1992.

1 million Azerbaijanis, one thirds of whom are children were forcefully expelled and driven away from their homes in contrary to Article 49 of IV Geneva Convention. For almost 15 years the larger part of the forcefully displaced children in Azerbaijan had to live in tent camps and villages consisting of luggage vans on railways which were subsequently abolished as a result of the tremendous efforts and budget resources allocated by the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The internally displaced children in Azerbaijan still cannot realize their right to voluntary return to their lands in safety and dignity despite the provisions of relevant documents, including the UN Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 adopted in 1993.

In contrary to the Article 50 of the IV Geneva Convention which provides that the occupying power shall facilitate the proper working of all institutions devoted to the care and education of children, the ongoing armed aggression of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan has inflicted serious damage upon the infrastructure for children in Azerbaijan.

Armenia which presents itself as one of the “advocates” of the Safe Schools Declaration is responsible for total destruction of 1107 educational facilities and 855 kindergartens in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. As a result of the ethnic cleansing policy, all Azerbaijani schoolchildren and students have been expelled from their native lands. 

Tens of thousands of Azerbaijani children continue to realize their right to education under serious challenges stemming from their continued displacement. Many others along the line of confrontation attend their classes under the constant threat of being attacked by the indiscriminate bombing of the armed forces of Armenia.

Despite the fact that taking of hostages is clearly prohibited by the Article 34 of the IV Geneva Convention and in violation of Article 38 (1) and (4) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 224 children were taken hostage by Armenia and were subsequently released, and 29 children are still considered to be in Armenian captivity. 71 children are still missing as a result of Armenia’s aggression.

Even during the cease-fire regime, Armenia hasn’t refrained from such despicable activities as using children as targets. More than 35 Azerbaijani children were killed by the armed forces of Armenia during this period.

On September 27, 2020 the armed forces of Armenia have launched another aggression against Azerbaijan. As a result, 47 Azerbaijani civilians, including 3 children were killed, more than 15 children were injured, and dozens of civilian objects, including 38 schools were destroyed. On September 27, five members of one family in Gashalti village of Naftalan region of Azerbaijan, including two schoolchildren, 13 years old Shahriyar Gurbanov and 14 years old Fidan Gurbanova, were killed by the armed forces of Armenia. 

Armenia’s attacks seriously damaged the education process in hundreds of schools near the conflict zone and border with Armenia and once again infringed the right to education of Azerbaijani children. On the night of October 11, 10 civilians were killed and 34, including minors, were seriously injured as a result of rocket fire on residential buildings in Ganja city situated far beyond the frontline. 3 children lost their both parents.

Despite numerous warnings by the Azerbaijani side, the continuation of the targeted attacks on civilians, as well as children by the armed forces of Armenia is a clear demonstration of the racist and xenophobic policy of this state. By killing and maiming children, as well as attacking against schools and hospitals Armenia continues to commit grave violations against children in times of armed conflict identified in Resolution 1261 (1999) of the United Nations Security Council,” the statement said.

“Children represent the future. If the international community fails today its universal moral obligation to protect the future generation and provide them with safe haven, ignoring the decades-lasting plight and suffering of the whole generation, and failing to secure justice and rule of law which sow the seeds for conflicts to continue. 

In this regard, we call the international community, especially the relevant international organizations to react publicly to the deliberate targeting by Armenia of children and educational facilities in the Republic of Azerbaijan and take effective actions to stop the climate of impunity lasting for three decades. 

We also urge the international community to refrain from the actions, such as rendering political, financial and especially military support to Armenia which contributes to the grave violations committed by this country against the children in the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the statement concluded.


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Pakistan rejects baseless Statement of Armenian PM

Pakistan rejects baseless Statement of Armenian PM


Pakistan categorically reject these baseless and unwarranted comments by the Armenian Prime Minister. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has also clarified his stance on the matter stating that Azerbaijani forces are strong enough to defend their homeland and do not need the help of foreign forces


ISLAMABAD, OCT 17 – Pakistan has categorically rejected the baseless and unwarranted comments by the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that Pakistan’s armed forces fought along with the Azerbaijani army in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.


We have seen the transcript of Armenian Prime Minister’s interview on 15 October with a Russian TV referring to some unsubstantiated reports alleging involvement of Pakistani special forces alongside Azerbaijani army in the ongoing conflict.


It is regrettable that leadership of Armenia, to cover up its illegal actions against Azerbaijan, is resorting to irresponsible propaganda, which it must stop.


For our part, we wish to make clear that Pakistan has consistently extended diplomatic, moral and political support to Azerbaijan. Pakistan will continue to stand by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan and support its right of self-defence against any aggression.


We believe that long-term peace and normalization of relations between the two parties would depend on the complete and comprehensive implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions and withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijani territories.

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