Asbarez: Artsakh Leader States Pashinyan’s Claims of Artsakh Armenian’s ‘Surr

Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan speaks to reporters on Apr. 2

Artsakh’s former president Samvel Shahramanyan said Thursday that the Prime Minister’s ongoing false narrative about the events of September 2023, when the entire Armenian population of Artsakh was forcibly displaced following Azerbaijani attacks, is a “myth and a delusion.”

Pashinyan, on numerous occasions, has said that Armenians of Artakh surrendered to Azerbaijanis, blaming Shahramanyan for having signed a document, which he has said was done to prevent more casualties, Azerbaijan was incessantly bombing Artsakh targets.

At least 198 soldiers and 25 civilian residents of Artsakh were killed during the fighting.

Sharamanyan told reporters that Pashinyan provocations aim to divide the public and sow sentiments of intolerance toward Artsakh Armenians who have been forcibly displaced and are currently residing in Armenia.

“These myths – they fought to the end, etc. – are lies, there was no such thing, they fled, they ran away,” Pashinyan was quoted as saying last week. The prime minister famously scolded a young woman from Artsakh on the Yerevan Metro calling all Artsakh Armenians “runaways.”

Shahramanyan pointed out that Armenia’s current authorities were on the political and diplomatic front lines during the 2020 war.

“It is thanks to their [the Armenian authorities] actions that the people of Artsakh found themselves in such a situation today, and the Armenian people have lost Artsakh,” Shahramanyan declared.

Sharamanyan explained that during the 2023 attacks, all issues related to the situation in Artsakh was being discussed with the leadership of Armenia, explaining that Pashinyan and his team were aware of the conditions on the ground.

The former Artsakh president also commented on Pashinyan’s latest assertions that if opposition forces were to be elected in June Armenia would be on the brink of war, and his most egregious rejection of the concept of historical justice.

Sharamanyan emphasized that Armenia’s security is a priority, and the Armenians of Artsakh currently residing in Armenia are doing their utmost to avoid being the cause of military retaliation by Azerbaijan.

However, he emphasized, that the people of Artsakh have the right to demand and fight for their right of return to their homeland under international norms.

“We are advocating for our rights stipulated by international law. We are trying to keep our right of return on the agenda on various platforms, which is also an issue of international law,” Shahramanyan explained.

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