Armenian Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić met in Strasbourg today and discussed the aftermath of recent fighting along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Grigoryan, according to her office, presented a list of the damage to civilians and civil infrastructure, the environment, and other acts prohibited by international humanitarian law and international human rights law as a result of the September 13 Azerbaijani military attack on Armenia.

Grigoryan discussed the crimes committed by Azerbaijani servicemen against Armenian POWs and the bodies of killed servicemen and referred to the cause of these crimes: the systematic policy of Armenophobia and of ethnic hatred of Armenians conducted by the Azerbaijani state.

These incidents are summarized in an ad hoc report of the Human Rights Defender published on September 16 that was personally presented to the Secretary General.

The Secretary General highly valued the work of Armenia's HRD, and thanked Grigoryan for their effective collaboration and the ad hoc report.

The Secretary General noted the necessity of the return of Armenian POWs and civilians who are still held in Azerbaijan, and reiterated her commitment to continue efforts in this direction.

The Secretary General referred to the program directions being implemented with Armenia and emphasized the readiness of the Council of Europe to provide continuous support, including within the framework of Armenia-CoE Action Plan.

Ms. Marija Pejčinović Burić underlined her support to the implementation of the mandate of the Human Rights Defender, and the sides agreed to continue their cooperation.

Photo credit: The Office of the CoE Secretary General.