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The maps which the Azerbaijani troops have in their special booklets show most of Armenia as a historical territory of Azerbaijan, Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan said in a statement posted on Facebook late on Thursday, sharing the copies of the maps. Below is the full text of the statement. 

"The maps attached below are those which the Azerbaijani military has in their special booklets. These maps show most of the Republic of Armenia as a historical territory of Azerbaijan. The staff of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia recorded them during the course of monitoring.

These maps are accompanied by texts that clearly do not correspond to reality, which are directly based on the theses of the propaganda of anti-Armenianism and hostility organized by the Azerbaijani authorities. Moreover, those very texts are accompanied by inflammatory and inspiring expressions of deep hatred towards Armenians: "This country is mine, yours, ours", "an honorable citizen should not tolerate the desecration of symbols", "symbols should be preserved in the same way as the honor, respect and dignity of the country", "all symbols are sacred", etc.

For example, one of such texts states: "When the Russian Empire collapsed, the territory of Azerbaijan was 130 thousand square kilometers (1918-1920). The territory of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan was 114 thousand square kilometers. From USSR to Russia (Derbent Shop, 7 thousand square kilometers), Armenia (before 1923 Zangezur, Yeghegnadzor, Sjan, Dilijan regions, border villages, in 1946 40 square kilometers, in 1969 7.6 square kilometers from Tovuz, about 50 km from Kazakhstan square) was given 10.9 thousand square kilometers. Georgia was given 9.5 thousand square kilometers (27.4 thousand square kilometers at different times). "Of the 86.6 thousand square kilometers we have been left with, 13,110 square kilometers are still occupied."

All this is directly related to the mandate of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, as it concerns the guarantee of the entire population of Armenia, the life, property and all of the other rights of the Armenian people, their protection from torture and inhumane treatment.

It is this kind of propaganda organized over the years which has established an institutional system of hatred and enmity towards Armenians based on ethnicity.

The Ombudsman's investigation shows that these are among the main reasons why the Azerbaijani Armed Forces committed and continue to commit war crimes against humanity, and atrocities in April 2016, from September-November 2020, and during other periods (beheadings, shootings, torture, and beyond).

Expert examination of videos of atrocities by the staff of Armenia’s Ombudsman confirms Azeri servicemen‘s use of expressions derived from propaganda theses, which in turn inspire torturing and/or killing Armenian soldiers and civilians, and mutilation of bodies.

All of these atrocities are confirmed by real and concrete evidence obtained by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

It is evident that in the face of these challenges, more than ever, we need unity and solidarity, respect for each other, and the avoidance of any developments which lead to increased tensions within our country, for the sake of each of us, and for the preservation of the civil rights of our people.

The international community, and especially international organizations with a mandate to protect human rights, must take decisive action to prevent the reprehensible propaganda of hatred and enmity against Armenians based upon the use of information that is patently false. They must demonstrate that they are true to their calling and mission, that they still adhere to the international rules which themselves have defined and established.

All of the above-referenced, with corresponding analyses, will be summarized by the staff of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia. It will be sent to international bodies, as it will also, of course, be provided to the relevant structures of Armenia."