Nearly 50 civil society organizations, including the Pahapan Foundation and the Armenian Child Protection Network, have issued a joint statement condemning the recent Azerbaijani shelling of the peaceful population and especially children's institutions in the borderline villages of Armenia.
On September 21, the working group led by the Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan visited Baghanis and Koti villages of Tavush region targeted by the Azerbaijani armed forces in order to carry out fact-finding activities on the shelling of the civilian population.
With the sole purpose of protecting human rights and of obtaining credible first-hand information, the fact-finding mission recorded numerous sings of damage in Koti village, as well as in Baghanis village: on the walls of the administration building and of the school of Baghanis, on the roofs, on the walls and damaged windows of civilian houses.
During the private interviews, the villagers and representatives of the administration mentioned that those damages had been the consequence of the targeted shelling of the village (large-caliber machine guns were also used). As a result of the shelling a villager of Koti was wounded as well.
Based on the fact-finding activities and necessary examinations, an ad hoc report will be prepared both in English and in French. The report will be sent to international organizations, as well as to the RA relevant state bodies and non-governmental human rights organizations.