Month: December 2020

 12:43, 16 December, 2020

GYUMRI, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The families of the servicemen who were besieged in Artsakh’s Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd villages and who are officially considered missing since the evening of December 15 are blocking the Gyumri-Yerevan highway, demanding authorities to reveal the circumstances around what happened to them. 

The Ministry of Defense of Artsakh announced on December 16 in a statement that in the evening of December 15, in unknown circumstances, it lost contact with the military personnel of several combat positions of the Defense Army deployed in the direction of the Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd villages of Hadrut.

However, the Azerbaijani media had published videos online showing Armenian troops whom Azerbaijani servicemen have taken captive. But the Armenian authorities have not yet confirmed the captivity of these troops.

However, the protesters say they have recognized their family members in these videos. Most of the troops are from the province of Shirak. Their families claim that the servicemen were besieged for three days before they were taken captive.

Other than blocking roads, the families of the missing troops had earlier blocked the Shirak Governor’s Office, demanding a meeting with Governor Tigran Petrosyan, who told them to address the Ministry of Defense. In turn, the families say the defense ministry is not providing any information.

Several parts of the Yerevan-Gyumri road are closed. The Gyumri-Bavra road is also blocked.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:00, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The servicemen of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh have delivered humanitarian aid packages, including food and first aid items, to the town of Martakert, the Russian defense ministry reports.

Food and essentials were handed over to the residents of Nagorno Karabakh who have returned back home. More than 100 families received humanitarian aid.

The medical units of the Russian defense ministry continue providing care to the residents of Stepanakert and Martakert.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:38, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan met with the representatives of Citizen’s Decision social-democratic party Suren Sahakyan and Garegin Miskaryan, the Parliament told Armenpress.

The discussion focused on the border security, the possible ways of solving the issues of captured citizens and the domestic political situation.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 13:52, 16 December, 2020

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The Human Rights Defender of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan says he contacted several organizations and servicemen on the ground regarding the information on the troops who went missing in Khtsaberd village. “According to the information that I gathered, a military unit consisting of around 60 servicemen went missing during these days in the direction of the village of Khtsaberd in Hadrut region, and it is highly likely that the video published by the Azerbaijani side shows this very unit,” he said.

“This incident is totally unacceptable and it must be quickly and strictly investigated by law enforcement agencies to determine all circumstances and the circle of those guilty. The authorities of Artsakh and Armenia are obliged to take immediate actions to repatriate all our prisoners of war as soon as possible. In addition, it is necessary to provide clear information to the families of the prisoners of war and conduct maximally transparent public communication to avoid disinformation and unnecessary tensions,” Beglaryan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 13:49, 16 December, 2020

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Search operations in the places of military operations carried our recently in Nagorno Karabakh continue.

As a result of these operations bodies of 64 more troops were found in Fizuli-Jabrayil section, representative of the Artsakh state emergency service Hunan Tadevosyan told Armenpress.

“A total of 892 dead servicemen have been found as of now. Today the search operations continue again in Fizuli and Jabrayil directions. The decision on involving the families of the killed servicemen into the search operations is also in force”, he said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:14, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. The President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has confirmed that “several dozens” of troops were taken captive by Azerbaijani armed forces in the direction of the village of Khtsaberd.

In an address to the nation on December 16, the President said that Azerbaijan continues its constant provocative behavior, with actions in Khtsaberd and Berdadzor being one of the latest.

“The Defense Army servicemen and the Russian peacekeepers thwarted various provocations by Azerbaijani troops, and yesterday evening they were repelled from the outskirts of the Hin Shen village of Shushi. These days no one was hurt in the direction of Berdadzor, and the adversary wasn’t allowed to enter any settlement. Unfortunately, several dozens of our troops were taken captive by the Azerbaijani side in the direction of Khtsaberd, and now the defense ministry is determining all circumstances. I will personally be coherent in bringing those guilty for this incident to legal accountability. Their quick and safe repatriation must be the focus of our efforts, and we are already taking steps in this direction,” Harutyunyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:27, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS.  The Court of Appeals has overturned an arrest warrant issued by a lower court that would allow the State Revenue Committee’s investigators to place the former Armenian Ambassador to the Vatican Mikayel Minasyan in pre-trial detention amid an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering, illicit enrichment and falsification of asset disclosures.

Minasyan, who is the son-in-law of the 3^rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, denies wrongdoing and claims that the charges are fabricated and politically motivated.  He is declared wanted by Armenian authorities.

Mikayel Minasyan served as Armenian Ambassador to the Holy See from 2013 to 2018. He was concurrently Armenia’s Ambassador to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 2014-2018 and to Portugal from 2017 to 2018.

He is one of the most outspoken critics of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his administration.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:33, 16 December, 2020

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has recorded the new data on the capture of Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijani armed forces which is being spread on the Internet since December 15, as well as the videos on that immediately after their release.

“According to various data provided to the Office of the Ombudsman, citizens claim that they have recognized their family members or relatives. Our Office is receiving calls on this since yesterday late evening up to now. I have submitted all the data to the head of the Armenia delegation of the International Committee of Red Cross and introduced all the details we have as of now.

I want to state clearly that since yesterday we are taking all possible actions within our jurisdictions for the recording of the fact and the identification of the persons. A close cooperation is also being carried out with the Ombudsman of Artsakh”, the Ombudsman said on social media.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

 14:42, 16 December, 2020

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has announced he is stepping down as Chairman of the ruling Free Motherland (AHK) party.

“I have decided to abandon the position of Free Motherland Party president and leave the party in order for me to be able to act and be perceived in the post of the President of the Republic as a head of state above any party, as a politician who must be accepted as a unifying person especially in times of crises,” Harutyunyan said in an address.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

 14:45, 16 December, 2020

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Ensuring the security of its citizens is the top priority of Artsakh, because it’s impossible to record success and development in the remaining spheres without secure environment, President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan said in an address delivered today, outlining the future actions in the field of security.

“On the one hand, we have a line of contact with the Azerbaijani side, which has been extended about two and a half times, a direct approaching to our some settlements and very restricted communication measures with Armenia. On the other hand, we have scarce human and technical resources and limited time for strengthening the new frontline, and from the other hand we have security guarantees conditioned by the continuous support of the Armenian people, Armenia and the presence of the Russian peacekeeping troops”, the President said.

He stated that the authorities of Artsakh do the utmost in their powers and capacities to neutralize the existing security challenges and clarify the uncertainties, some of which depend also on the results of the high-level international negotiations. “Nevertheless, regardless of the current objective difficulties, one thing is clear to us: the Defense Army, with the support of all Armenians, will continue its functions and efforts for ensuring the physical security of the people of Artsakh which are being joined by the guarantees of the Russian peacekeeping troops”, he said.

Arayik Harutyunyan said the Azerbaijani side continues its constant provocative behavior, the vivid evidence of which, he said, are their latest actions in Khtsaberd and Berdadzor sections. “Different provocations of the Azerbaijani troops were prevented by the servicemen of the Defense Army and the Russian peacekeepers, and yesterday evening they have been repelled from the outskirts of Hin Shen village of Shushi. These days no one was injured in the Berdadzor direction, and the adversary wasn’t allowed to enter into any settlement. Unfortunately, several dozens of our servicemen have been captured by the Azerbaijani side in the direction of Khtsaberd, and currently the Defense Ministry is clarifying all circumstances. I personally will be consistent with this so that those found guilty will be held accountable. Their quick and safe return should be the focus of our upcoming efforts, and we are already taking actions on this direction.

Taking into account the peacekeeping mandate assumed by Russia in Artsakh, it’s obvious that the violations of the provisions of the November 9 trilateral statement and the line of contact are a disrespect to Russia’s both mediation efforts and peacekeeping mandate. Therefore, we, together with the military-political leadership of Armenia, are working with the Russian side aimed at jointly preventing the Azerbaijani provocations, and the Defense Army is, of course, fulfilling its duties within the existing capacities”, the President of Artsakh said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan