U.S. State Department presents human rights situation in Armenia and  Azerbaijan

ArmInfo.During the year, there were incidents of violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan that  resulted in casualties and detentions.  There were reports that Azerbaijani forces engaged in unlawful killings, and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of Armenian forces in September. This is stated in the State Department's annual report on human rights for 2022.

"Complaints submitted by Armenia and Azerbaijan to the European Court  of Human Rights accusing each other of committing atrocities during  the fighting in 2020 and 2016 awaited the court's ruling. Armenia  submitted new complaints regarding the September fighting," the  report on Armenia says.  

"Complaints filed by Armenia and Azerbaijan with the European Court  of Human Rights accusing each other of committing atrocities during  hostilities in 2020 and 2016 are awaiting a court decision.  Armenia  has submitted new complaints about the September fighting," the  report on Armenia says.  

The State Department notes that "Significant human rights issues  included credible reports of: torture by members of the security  forces; harsh prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention;  serious problems with judicial independence; arbitrary or unlawful  interference with privacy; restrictions on freedom of expression;  crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting civil  society figures and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and  intersex persons; and the worst forms of child labor." " The  government took only limited steps to investigate and punish alleged  abuses by former and current government officials and law enforcement  authorities. There was no reported progress on government  investigations of alleged abuses committed by Armenian armed forces  or individuals during the 2020 hostilities," the report notes.  

In the report on Azerbaijan, the US State Department notes that:  "significant human rights issues included credible reports of:  unlawful or arbitrary killing; torture and cruel, inhuman, or  degrading treatment or punishment by members of the security forces;  harsh and sometimes life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary  detention; political prisoners; politically motivated reprisal  against individuals outside the country; pervasive problems with the  independence of the judiciary; arbitrary or unlawful interference  with privacy; serious restrictions on free expression and the media,  including violence against journalists, enforcement of criminal  defamation laws to limit expression, and harassment and incarceration  of journalists on questionable charges; serious restrictions on  internet freedom, including blocking of websites; a de facto ban on  the rights of peaceful assembly and substantial interference with  freedom of association; restrictions on freedom of movement; severe  restrictions on political participation; systemic government  corruption; lack of accountability for gender-based violence; crimes  involving violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,  queer, and intersex persons; significant restrictions on workers'  freedom of association; and existence of the worst forms of child  labor.

The government did not prosecute or punish the majority of officials  who were reported to have committed human rights abuses and acts of  corruption; impunity remained a problem.  There was no reported  progress on government investigations of alleged abuses committed by  Azerbaijani armed forces or individuals during the 2020 and 2022  hostilities," the report said.