Azerbaijani soldiers steal and eat the cow of Armenian shepherd
YEREVAN, June 17. /ARKA/. On June 16, at about 5.30 in the morning, nine Azerbaijani soldiers stole a cow and a newborn calf of an Armenian shepherd from a pasture near his place of residence in the village of Verin Shorzha in Gegharkunik province, human rights defender Arman Tatoyan said in a Facebook post.
He said the shepherd woke up after hearing Azerbaijani shots in the morning. He realized that the Azerbaijani servicemen were shooting in the direction of his cattle, which at that time were in an open area in the immediate vicinity of his place of residence.
The shepherd quickly walked towards the animals and discovered that one cow and a newborn calf were missing. He soon noticed that 9 Azerbaijani servicemen were driving the cow and the calf towards their positions. Together with other shepherds, the man tried to bring the animals back.
However, Azerbaijani servicemen started shooting at the animals and injured the cow's leg, preventing it from reaching the shepherds. Shots were also fired in the direction of the shepherds. Four later the shepherds saw Azerbaijani servicemen slaughtering the cow in their positions.
The human rights defender separately emphasized that this theft took place on the sovereign territory of Armenia, and that the Azerbaijani soldiers descended from positions that are illegally located on the territory of Armenia. It is noted that all the circumstances were checked by the ombudsman's office and confirmed by the shepherds.
Tatoyan said that several dozen citizens live on these pastures seasonally - in spring, summer and autumn, graze their small and large horned livestock. There people also live in families, and their right to graze animals on pastures is confirmed by legal documents concluded with the community.
"The Azerbaijani servicemen are committing obvious criminal acts with the intention of depriving the civilian population of Armenia of the right to life and other rights, to engage in cattle breeding and to provide family income. They have not returned the animals stolen from Armenian citizens earlier," he wrote.
Tatoyan stated that this crime once again confirms that a security zone must be established along the border on both sides for the protection of the rights of the Armenian population. -0-
