On October 9, at around, 1:20 pm, 55-year-old Artsakh civilian Aram Tepnants was killed while working in his pomegranate garden by Azerbaijani sniper fire in Martakert, said Lusine Avanesyan, press secretary of the President of Artsakh, reports Armenpress.
“According to the police, investigators are working at the scene. I would like to add that the incident is being analyzed with the command of the Russian peacekeeping forces in order to take further steps to exclude ceasefire violations and to ensure greater security opportunities in the areas near the line of contact,” said Avanesyan.
The Foreign Ministry Artsakh’s statement runs as follows,
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh strongly condemns such aggressive behavior and provocative actions of Azerbaijan aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear among the peaceful population of the Republic of Artsakh and emigration of Armenians from the country. Azerbaijan also pursues far-reaching goals – that is to disrupt the implementation of the peacekeeping mission of the Russian Federation and to question the effectiveness of the peacekeepers’ activities.
This and all the previous incidents, which resulted in casualties among civilians or damage to their property, are manifestations of Azerbaijan’s coordinated anti-Armenian policy and another proof that the Azerbaijani authorities’ peaceful calls on the people of Artsakh and claims for peaceful coexistence are nothing but an attempt to mislead the civilized world and weaken the vigilance of the Armenian parties.
We call on the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states to take active steps to hold the Azerbaijani party accountable and exclude such incidents in the future.”
Armenian Human Rights Defender, Aram Tatoyan’s statement runs as follows,
“The killing of 55-year-old civilian resident of Martakert city of Artsakh is the direct consequence of the continuous policy of Armenophobia and enmity of Azerbaijani authorities.
Mr. Aram Tepnants, a peaceful resident, was killed by a sniper while working in a pomegranate orchard. This information has been confirmed by the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh.
This criminal act of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the killing of the Armenian civilian resident of Artsakh, is a blatant intentional unlawful violation of his right to life.
This tragic incident proves yet again that the guaranteeing of the right to life, the right to secure and peaceful life and other vital rights of the Armenian population is impossible in the conditions of Azerbaijani policy of hatred and enmity and due to the fact that those who have committed these criminal acts, and the Azerbaijani authorities who promote Armenophobia remain unpunished.”
