The US State Department has noted that Armenian separatists continue to control most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
The State Department made the observation in the sections on Armenia and Azerbaijan in its annual human rights report for 2010.
"Ethnic Armenian separatists, with Armenia's support, continued to control most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. Land mines placed along the border with Azerbaijan and along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continued to cause bodily harm. During the year government sources reported that 12 military personnel were injured by landmine explosions and one civilian was killed," the State Department report on Armenia said.
"According to official information, during the year shootings along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resulted in casualties on the Armenian side, including the death of 11 and the wounding of 34 military personnel."
The section of the report on Azerbaijan was almost identical: "Ethnic Armenian separatists, with Armenia's support, continued to control most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the country and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. The government did not exercise any control over developments in those territories. Security forces reported to civilian authorities."
The report noted cases of abuse in the Armenian army: "The military prosecutor reported that during the year 54 military servicemen died under noncombat conditions, an increase from 44 in 2009. According to official statistics 11 were killed by enemy fire; of the remaining cases, 13 were murders; eight deaths were due to illnesses; six deaths were caused by car accidents; five deaths by accidents; four deaths were due to mishandling of weapons; three were suicides; three were induced suicides; and one was due to physical violence."
The report on Azerbaijan noted that figures for military and civilian deaths along the contact line in 2010 were unavailable. "According to the national agency for mine actions, landmines killed one soldier and injured four (two soldiers and two civilians)," the report said.
It noted deaths in military custody in Azerbaijan: "There were reports that torture and beating of persons in police and military custody resulted in at least seven deaths, and law enforcement officials acted with impunity."
"The military Prosecutor's Office arrested and summoned to the court five members of the military regarding crimes committed on 28 January [2010], including taking bribes; insulting; causing injuries or torture of a military man; and abuse of authority,
excess, or negligence. The court hearing continued at year's end," the report on Azerbaijan said.
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