Update for October 17

Nouneh Sarkissian, the Wife of the President of the Republic of Armenia and a UNICEF High Level Advocate for Children (since 2019), Alla Levonyan, the distinguished Artist of the Republic of Armenia and the First UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador (since 2007), Maria Guleghina, the renowned soprano with Armenian origins, Honorary Board member of the International Paralympic Committee, People’s Artist of Ossetia and Alania, Honoured Artist of Belarus and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador (since 2009), Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the Professional Footballer at AS ROMA, Armenia National Football Team Captain and a UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador (since 2016) and Artur Aleksanyan, the Greco-Roman wrestler, Olympic / World / European Champion and a UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador (since 2019) have addressed their message to the UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore, reflecting upon the large-scale military offensive against Nagorno Karabakh, launched by Azerbaijan on September 27, which continues to escalate to this date with the support and participation of Turkey.

“As evidenced by ad-hoc reports of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia and Ombudsman of Artsakh, massive airborne and land attacks have been targeting civilians, hospitals, emergency centers, schools, churches and other vital infrastructures, with extensive use of military aviation, weaponry banned by all international conventions, such as cluster warhead missiles and other terror inspiring means. Indiscriminate and intentional strikes against the peaceful population and civilian infrastructures have resulted in widespread destruction, numerous casualties and severe injuries, including to children and women. Today Artsakh is facing a humanitarian catastrophe.

This is a gross violation of human rights, the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law. This is not just an attack against Armenians but an attack against the fundamental norms of humanity, an attack against what the UN stands for. Unfortunately, it takes place under the international community’s watchful eyes.

Children fall victim to violent bloodshed, they are subjected to psychological trauma and sufferings and are in dire need for help regardless of what nation they belong to and irrespective of the area they live in, with unwavering determination of leaving no one behind. Now the children of Artsakh are under existential threat, but as all children in the rest of the world, they have the right to live and the right to be protected. All of them – 15-year-old Robert who is in coma, 2-year-old Artsvik who is still struggling between life and death, Artsvik’s 9-year-old sister, who was killed, and many others….

As UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, we are calling upon the leadership of UNICEF, UN sister agencies and our fellow Goodwill Ambassadors to speak up, extend a helping hand and act now to prevent further bloodshed. Expressing concern and calls to peace have not rendered due results. Extend humanitarian assistance to people living in Artsakh, in accordance with the Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Make sure that the principle of the universality of human rights and your pledge to leave no one behind are implemented unconditionally for everyone and everywhere.

Let’s not allow our silence to stifle the cries of babies and their unarmed caretakers!

Let ourselves not fail to act as true caretakers of compassion, justice and peace!

Bold action is needed at this very critical moment to save human lives. We wish to remain proud members of a UNICEF family that notices the obvious, condemns the immoral and cares for the vulnerable and aggrieved”, reads the message.

• The Azerbaijani armed forces continuing attacking Artsakh overnight October 16-17, with nine missiles hitting Stepanakert.

The State Service of Emergency Situations of Artsakh told Armenpress that the Azeri military used banned cluster munitions and other munitions in bombarding the Artsakh capital, causing significant damages to civilian infrastructure and leaving apartments in ruins in the city’s neighborhoods and suburbs.

“They hit Stepanakert, Shushi, Martakert, Shosh, and several other communities,” State Service of Emergency Situations spokesperson Hunan Tadevosyan said.

“Three civilians, including an elderly woman, were wounded in Shosh. They were immediately taken to a hospital. The night was rough in Stepanakert, the air raid sirens were on uninterruptedly for a long time,” he said.

In Stepanakert, the Azeri missiles hit central parts and suburbs, completely destroying private property of residents, apartments, shops and other civilian infrastructure. “A lot of time and huge resources will be needed to restore all of this. A residential home where a wounded elderly woman was living was completely destroyed,” Tadevosyan said.

He said the Azeri military used Grad and Smerch multiple rocket launchers, cluster munitions, missiles and loitering munitions in the attack on Stepanakert and other peaceful settlements. The total damages are still under assessment.

On the evening of October 16, Azerbaijan once again started shelling the civilian settlements of Artsakh, including the capital of the Republic, Stepanakert. As a result three civilians of Shosh community were wounded.

At the same time, the air defense system of the Republic of Armenia detected Azerbaijani UAVs to the direction of the Khatsakh, Artsvanik, Davit Bek settlements of the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia, which was followed by an attack towards military installations of the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia damaging also the civilian infrastructure. Fortunately no one was killed and wounded.

It is noteworthy that a few hours before the Azerbaijani side disseminated a provocative and false allegation on the shelling of Ordubad settlement in the Nakhijevan Autonomous Republic by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia. In line with their traditional behavior, the wave of such disinformation was followed by the real aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.

Consistent attempts of Azerbaijan to extend the geography of the conflict, thus irreversibly undermining the regional security should be condemned in the strongest terms. Any encroachment against the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia will receive an adequate response.

• All Azerbaijani soldiers who have been detained as prisoners of war by Artsakh’s military are being provided with necessary medical treatment, Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender Artak Beglaryan said.

He said that recently one of the Azeri POWs underwent surgery by Artsakh doctors for his wounds. “In accordance to humanitarian rules, international law and our national legislation he is provided with humanitarian treatment. Surgery was conducted based on his needs, and not only him but all other POWs are receiving and have received appropriate medical treatment,” Beglaryan said.

Beglaryan said he personally inquired on the condition of the POW.

Amid weeks of relentless and indiscriminate Azeri attacks on villages and towns in Artsakh, the Azeri forces, which include mercenaries from terrorist organizations from the Middle East, even shelled a civilian hospital on October 14, not even realizing that perhaps their own servicemen who have been captured are being treated there.

“Terrorists cannot even imagine that those hospitals treat even their military servicemen captured by Artsakh military forces,” the Armenian health minister Arsen Torosyan said over the deplorable attack.

Then, on October 15, a video was posted online showing how Azerbaijani troops are executing Artsakh POWs and filming the shooting.