Azerbaijan increases degree of Armenophobia within its public – political scientist

YEREVAN, JULY 5, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress, political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan said the Azerbaijani behavior in connection with the photo-capture and manipulation of the killed child is a gross violation of ethical norms.

-Mr. Melik-Shahnazaryan, how would you comment on Azerbaijan’s behavior when it releases the photo of the dead child ad distorts the reality after escalating the situation, launching provocation and making its own people as human shields?

-In April 2016 an Armenian child was killed as a result of Azerbaijani shelling, however, the Artsakh side even didn’t think about releasing any photo. The capture of photos of Azerbaijani child who was killed as a result of the July 4 incident speaks about one thing: Azerbaijan not only doesn’t respect the norms of ethics, but it increases the high level of Armenophobia within its public in a quite conscious manner. And of course, it’s very important for the international community to feel the difference of perception of the world of the two societies. In April 2016 Azerbaijan was honoring the hooligans who beheaded the person with military uniform. But the Artsakh side expresses pain and regret over the death of the Azerbaijani child, although the reason of this is the military of the Azerbaijani side.

The Azerbaijani armed forces continued violating the ceasefire regime in different sections of Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line on July 4. Particularly, in the period of 11:30-11:35 the Azerbaijani troops fired 82 mm mortars (4 projectiles) in the eastern direction of the contact line and anti-tank missiles (3 projectiles) in the same section at about 12:45-12:55. In the southern direction the Azerbaijanis fired 60 mm mortars (3 projectiles) at 13:35, while at the period of 20:20-20:30 the Azerbaijani armed forces fired 5 projectiles from TR-107 multiple rocket launcher from a military position located in Alkhanlu village in the direction of a command post of a regiment located in the southern direction, and at 20:48 3 projectiles were fired in the same direction from 82 mm mortars. The front line units of the Defense Army had no alternative but take retaliatory measures to suppress the enemy's aggressive activity at 20:31-20:40, as a result of which the military position of Azerbaijan in Alkhanlu village was damaged. According to credible information from the relevant services of the Defense Army, the enemy has suffered losses. The Defense Army suffered no casualties as a result of the provocative actions initiated by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani side announced that two civilians were killed and one was wounded.