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The UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries issued a statement on November 11 expressing concern over the use of mercenaries by Azerbaijan during hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and calling for their immediate removal. The statement contained allegations made earlier by Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan to the Working Group, his office said on Tuesday.

“Starting from October 3, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia submitted 4 applications to the UN Working Group. The applications contained the analysis of the evidence and presented the latter to the UN with regard to the recruitment, transfer and remuneration issues of mercenaries.

The Human Rights Defender received official confirmation that his applications had been processed separately.

The UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries has expressed concern over Turkey's alleged role in sending armed groups from Syria to Azerbaijan. In particular, the terrorists went to Azerbaijan to make a profit, given the difficult economic situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. In the event of their death, their relatives were reportedly promised financial compensation and Turkish citizenship.

Moreover, it was noted that the Syrian militants who moved to Azerbaijan are allegedly affiliated with armed groups and individuals, who are accused of war crimes and serious human rights violations during the Syrian conflict; thus seemingly perpetuating a cycle of impunity and risking further abuses of international law.

The Working Group strongly on the sides, and the States supporting them, to immediately withdraw any mercenaries and related actors and not to engage in further recruitment, funding and deployment of mercenaries.

The experts of the Working Group conveyed their concerns about the above-mentioned allegations directly to the governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey and informed the Syrian Arab Republic.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia considers that individual work with international bodies is crucial to achieve the record that mercenary terrorists have committed war crimes and atrocities,” the office said in a statement posted on Facebook.