On October 1, a reporter and photographer working for the French daily Le Monde were injured in Azerbaijani shelling on Nagorno-Karabakh.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia said the incident took place in Martuni. Two local reproters, working for Armenia TV and 24news.am, were injured in the same artillery strike.
“Two French reporters from Le Monde were hurt at Martuni in the Artsakh region… they had been taken to hospital,” the ministry said on Twitter.
According to the Armenian Unified Infocenter, Le Monde journalist Allan Kaval is in critical condition. Kaval is currently undergoing surgery at the Stepanakert Medical Centre.
The reporter from @LeMondefr @allankaval is in critical condition, and currently undergoing surgery at the #Stepanakert Medical Centre. He was among the journalists wounded in an artillery strike on the Martuni town hall by the Azerbaijani military#AzerbaijanAgainstReporters pic.twitter.com/Ye4vJYy3Wu
— Armenian Unified Infocenter (@ArmenianUnified) October 1, 2020
The Azerbaijani shelling on Martuni also damaged two vehicles carrying journalists from the France-Press Agency, Armenia TV and 24news.am.
#breaking: The Azerbaijani Armed Forces also targeted a car carrying reporters from Agence @afpfr currently covering the situation on the ground in #Artsakh
Азербайджан нацелился также на машину, перевозившую журналистов международного агентства Agence France-Presse (AFP) pic.twitter.com/AZGN9kL8MS— Armenian Unified Infocenter (@ArmenianUnified) October 1, 2020
Reporters from https://t.co/LV3D21vyBg and #Armenia TV are wounded from #Azerbaijan|i bombardment
Журналисты https://t.co/LV3D21vyBg и Armenia TV ранены в результате обстрела азербайджанских вооружённых сил #AzerbaijaniAggression #AzerbaijanAgainstReporters pic.twitter.com/37CZsQeLSm— Armenian Unified Infocenter (@ArmenianUnified) October 1, 2020
France’s President Emmanuel Macron voiced solidarity with Armenia on September 30, accusing Azerbaijani forces of launching an attack on Nagorno-Karabakh. On October 1, the French President discussed the situation in the disputed region with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone. The two leaders shared concern regarding the sending of Syrian mercenaries by Turkey to Nagorno-Karabakh.
The alleged Azerbaijani attack on French journalists in Nagorno-Karabakh will likely lead to a more strict stand by Paris against Baku.
Were they accredited by Azerbaijan? Because if not, they are not journalists but simple violators of Azerbaijan State Border. Could even be combatants as far as international law is concerned.
If they have accreditation, then they better be careful, its a war and danger is looming on anyone. Can always get caught in a cross fire.
it is Armenian lands (N K) since antiquity
International Law couldn’t care less about antiquity.