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In a letter addressed to Armenia’s caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan raised the issue of filing an urgent interstate complaint with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Azerbaijan over the immediate removal of Azerbaijani forces from the vicinity of Armenian villages and inter-community roads and creation of a buffer zone.

"I mentioned in the letter that the human rights defender will provide the government with the collected evidence, which confirms the violations of the European Convention and demonstrates the urgent need for a security zone,” the ombudsman said in a statement on Thursday.

“In particular, as I stated in a number of previous statements, the presence of the Azerbaijani military in the vicinity of the villages of Armenia’s Gegharkunik and Syunik Provinces, as well as on the roads linking the Syunik communities, their actions violate at least the following rights of the citizens of Armenia guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights:

1. Right to life, article 2 of the Convention
2. Right to liberty and security, Article 5 of the Convention
3. Right to respect for private and family life, Article 8 of the Convention
4. Right to property, Article 1 of the First Protocol
5. Freedom of movement, Article 2 of the Fourth Protocol, etc.

The same applies to Azerbaijani flags and signs, as well as any equipment of their armed forces,” Tatoyan said.