Recently, in the Armenian segment of social networks, there are many facts about the arming of children and teenagers in the territories of Azerbaijan temporarily controlled by Russian peacekeepers, especially in Khankendi, and training them to participate in military operations against Azerbaijan.
In September, November 2020, numerous facts were recorded regarding the involvement of children in military exercises and combat operations by Armenia, which they received various physical injuries, as well as the use of kindergartens and schools for military purposes.
We, as a group of Emergency Experts, cannot turn a blind eye to involvement of Armenian children in human trafficking, which is the heaviest form of child labor, by Armenia under the name of “patriotism”. The involvement of children in military operations is a gross violation of international legal norms calling for the fight against human trafficking. We have always respected the supremacy of the international documents to which we have joined. We strongly object to the involvement of Armenian children in forced labor and labor exploitation which is happening in the city of Khankendi,the sovereign territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the involvement of minors in military operations in other areas temporarily controlled by peacekeepers, and their use in military training.
We inform you that Armenia violates Article 38 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (prohibits the involvement of children in military operations during conflicts), the Convention “on Action against Human Trafficking” signed on May 16, 2005 in Warsaw. It grossly violates paragraph 3 of Article 57 (attracting, transporting, handing over, concealing or taking children for the purpose of exploitation) and international legal norms in general, as well as relevant legal and normative acts of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
We demand an end to armed conflicts or post-conflict involvement of children in military operations, military preparations, arming of children, exploitation of child labor, and we call on international organizations to take mandatory steps for Armenia to comply with international legal norms.