Parents of servicemen carrying out mandatory military service on Friday, January 8, staged a protest in front of the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University of the Armenian Defense Ministry in Yerevan, demanding that the authorities guarantee their children’s safe return to Artsakh.
They claim that the road leading to Artsakh is unsafe and there are no guarantees whether their sons will get to Artsakh or not.
“None of the commanders said that security guarantees are provided," said one of the parents.
He said that the soldiers were to rejoin the Artsakh military after a short vacation on December 28, however they were barred from entering Artsakh by Azerbaijani troops. Therefore, the servicemen were temporarily transferred to the military university.
“10-20 days ago there were dangers, is it safe now? Nobody says why it is safe now,” the parents said.
They state that they do not mind their children serving in Artsakh, they just demand security guarantees. Parents say they are ready to take their children home until such guarantees are ensured.
Protesting patents demanded a meeting with the Defense Ministry representatives.