The Azerbaijani authorities committed crimes against humanity during the COVID-19 global pandemic with large-scale armed attacks against Artsakh and Armenia.
This fact is proven and set forth in the new special report of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender.
This ad hoc report shows with concrete examples and expert analysis “the crimes committed against humanity by Azerbaijan in the context of a man-made disaster” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The special report sets forth that despite the statements of the UN Secretary General Security Council that the COVID-19 crisis should compel the cessation of hostilities in all situations, the start of the war by the Azerbaijani authorities in September-November 2020 endangered the lives of the entire population of Artsakh and their health, and intentionally caused death and suffering. It also significantly contributed to the increase in deaths in Armenia.
According to the report, all this caused the acceleration and the rapid spread of the deadly virus, and brought about the fatal collapse of the healthcare system.
Thus, in the period from March 1st to September 26th, 49,400 cases of COVID-19 were registered, while during the war, from September 27 to November 9, that number reached 59,287.
In terms of mortality, 951 deaths were reported in the seven months before the war, compared with 658 during the war.
These recorded facts once again prove the assertions of the Human Rights Defender, that the Azerbaijani authorities should be held accountable for war crimes, as impunity breeds new and more heinous crimes.
The report will be sent to the relevant international structures and to RA state bodies.
