Amnesty International Report 2021/22: There was no accountability or justice for victims of violations committed during the 2020 Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict and its aftermath

ArmInfo.There was no accountability or justice for victims of violations committed during the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and its aftermath. This is  stated in the Amnesty International Report 2021/22.

Thus, according to the source, the report of the international human  rights organization, notes, in part: "Over 100 people were killed or  injured by mines planted by Armenian forces in areas ceded to  Azerbaijan. Some 36,000 ethnic Armenians remained internally  displaced. Peaceful protests were largely permitted after Covid-19  and martial law restrictions were lifted, but freedom of expression  and access to information continued to be restricted.  Environmental  concerns at the Amulsar gold mine remained unaddressed.  Domestic  violence remained a widespread problem, exacerbated by the Covid-19  pandemic.

Political tensions remained high throughout the year. The prime  minister resigned in April following months of anti-government  protests over his handling of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict but was  re-appointed after his party won a majority in snap elections in  June.  Security along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border remained volatile  with uncertainties over demarcation lines. Occasional cross-border  fighting led to military and civilian casualties.  The Covid-19  pandemic and the aftermath of the 2020 conflict exacerbated the  country's economic hardships. According to the World Bank, Armenia  suffered an 8% contraction in GDP, leading to the impoverishment of  70,000 people and driving 720,000 people into a lower welfare group.   The elderly and less well-off were disproportionately impacted by the  pandemic, facing greater obstacles in accessing healthcare due to the  lockdown restrictions and repurposing of public healthcare resources.   Their ability to cover routine expenses - especially household  services, utilities, food, medicines and medical services - also  decreased significantly.  Vaccination uptake remained low, with only  23 % of the population receiving a full dose of the vaccine by  December, amid a widespread anti-vax campaign.  In response, in  August, the government made Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all  government workers and many private company employees.  

As for violations of international humanitarian law, it is mentioned  that, "no progress was made in investigating war crimes and other  violations of international humanitarian law during the 2020 conflict  and its immediate aftermath, or in bringing those suspected of  individual criminal responsibility to justice.  Over 100 people were  reported killed or injured by mines planted by Armenian forces in  territories where they had ceded control to Azerbaijan. Armenia  shared several maps detailing landmine fields in exchange for  Azerbaijan returning Armenian captives. In December the president of  the European Council reported that Armenia had returned all landmine  maps. However, the accuracy of these maps was challenged by  Azerbaijan." 

The report also refers to the rights of IDPs: "Many of the  approximately 91,000 people displaced at the height of the fighting  in 2020 returned to Stepanakert/Khankendi and other parts of the  Nagorno-Karabakh region, which remained under the control of Armenia.  Some 36,000 people remained displaced in Armenia and  Armenia-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh, and 24,000 of them from areas  controlled by Azerbaijan faced long-term displacement.  Returnees  faced difficulties in accessing livelihoods, education and  healthcare." With regard to freedom of assembly, it is mentioned,  that peaceful protests and demonstrations were largely permitted  throughout the year. By January, the government had rescinded most  public health and emergency law-related restrictions imposed due to  security concerns and the Covid-19 pandemic, including restrictions  on public gatherings and as for Freedom of expression it is noted:   "The right to freedom of expression continued to be unduly  restricted.  The government introduced several legislative amendments  curtailing independent media and other critical voices. In March, the  National Assembly increased the maximum fine for insult and  defamation to AMD 6 million (approximately US$12,000). In August,  another set of legislative amendments criminalized insulting public  figures, making repeated insults punishable by up to three months'  imprisonment. In September, police opened a criminal case under this  new law against a Facebook user for insulting the prime minister in a  comment under a photo featuring him.  The authorities continued the  prosecution on trumped-up charges of human rights defender Sashik  Sultanian in retaliation for his criticism of the treatment of the  Yazidi ethnic minority in Armenia. An investigation into his alleged  incitement of national hatred had been opened in October 2020, after  he published an online interview on problems faced by the ethnic  Yazidis. His trial started in August and was ongoing at the end of  the year. If convicted, he could face three to six years in prison.   The Prosecutor General's Office and state investigative bodies failed  to effectively investigate attacks and threats against NGOs and media  outlets, including looting of the offices of Radio Free Europe/Radio  Liberty and Open Society Foundations, in the aftermath of the  conflict in 2020." 

Amulsar is also mentioned: "Amulsar gold mine project in southern  Armenia remained halted, pending the outcome of an ongoing criminal  investigation into intentional concealment of information on its  environmental impacts. The investigation was launched in response to  protests by local residents and environmental campaigners since  2018." 

And as for women's rights, the authors of the report assure that  "women continued to be affected by higher levels of domestic violence  during the Covid-19 pandemic while access to services and protection  remained inadequate. The pandemic also exacerbated the heavy burden  of unpaid care work which continued to fall mainly on women and  girls".