Karabakh Ombudsman urges against manipulating provision of aid

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan on Sunday, January 22 called out organizations, as well as the Russian peacekeeping contingent, for showing the faces of children in footage showing the provision of assistance to civilians.

The Russian peacekeepers recently posted a video on their Telegram channel showing troops handing out food packets to children when delivering aid provided by an international Armenian charity.

“It is welcome that in the current difficult humanitarian conditions, various structures, including representatives of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, are providing assistance to the population, including pregnant women and children,” Stepanyan said on social media.

“However, I consider it unacceptable to show the faces of people, especially children and distribute photos on the Internet. Manipulating said assistance and using it as a pity-inducing scene is humiliating for the diginified citizens of Artsakh, in connection with which the Ombudsman's office has received numerous complaints.

“I call on all agencies and individuals providing assistance to respect people's right to privacy and dignity and to refrain from distributing such photographs.”