Pashinyan says “Why didn’t you die?” remark was aimed at Karabakh-Armenian ps

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has clarified that his controversial remark, “Why didn’t you die?” was not directed at the Armenian people, but at members of the Karabakh-Armenian political and public “pseudo-elite,” whom he accused of abandoning their troops and fleeing to Armenia in both 2020 and 2023.

During a press briefing, Pashinyan said the remark was aimed at individuals who present themselves as representatives of various Karabakh institutions in exile, despite the Armenian government condemning any attempts to establish such self-styled entities.

“The Prime Minister of Armenia did not ask the Armenian people why they didn’t die in the war. The Prime Minister addressed representatives of the Karabakh pseudo-elite, asking why they didn’t die,” he said.

According to Pashinyan, these individuals, in his assessment, did not participate in combat operations.

“Those who call themselves members of the Karabakh parliament, or representatives of various sectors of Karabakh—did they go to the front, did they fire a shot? Not only did they not fight, but when I refer to ‘those who fled,’ that is exactly who I mean,” he said.

He added that these individuals should provide explanations for their actions.

“What were they doing, sitting in their homes? Who went to stand and fight alongside the soldiers? Some of them even fled, leaving our troops behind. They need to provide an explanation—starting from Samvel Shahramanyan and including others,” Pashinyan said, referring to the last leader of Karabakh before the Azerbaijani takeover in 2023.

Pashinyan originally made the “Why didn’t you die?” remark on May 15 during a debate in Yerevan’s Arabkir district with Arthur Osipyan, a Karabakh-Armenian activist, while discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.