YEREVAN, AUGUST 7, ARMENPRESS. Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan visited the Hin Shen community of the Shushi region and met with the mayor and residents.

Before the 2020 war, the village had a population of 187, and only 86 people are now living there.

Stepanyan noted that the main obstacle hindering normal life and return of the residents is the Azerbaijani military deployment on a nearby hill.

“The Azerbaijani military position deployed on a nearby hill overlooking the village is a clear and present danger to the life and physical and psychological inviolability of the peaceful population of Hin Shen,” Stepanyan said. The ombudsman mentioned that the Azeri military presence is also a direct threat to the farmers, reminding that Azeri troops stole livestock belonging to the Armenian farmers in Hin Shen on two separate occasions, on July 29 and August 2.

“Without any doubt the relevant authorities of Artsakh, at the mediation of the Russian peacekeepers, must start negotiations in the direction of removing the abovementioned military position from the vicinity of the village for restoring the normal life of the residents and guaranteeing their safety and protection of rights,” Stepanyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan