Thursday, November 2, 2023
Armenian Authorities Report Another ‘Terror Plot’
• Karlen Aslanian
Armenia -- The main entrance to the National Security Service headquarters in
Yerevan.
Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) said on Thursday that it has arrested
five members of an armed group that plotted to seize government buildings and
“disrupt the work of state bodies.”
The NSS did not identify the suspects and gave few details of the alleged plot.
In a statement, it said that they planned to set off an explosion and
assassinate a “civilian.” The latter was not identified either.
Nor did the NSS clarify whether it believes that overthrowing the Armenian
government was the ultimate aim of the “terrorist acts” which it said were
codenamed “Northern Leaf Fall” by the arrested persons.
The security agency released two purported audios of their conversations
secretly recorded by NSS officers. In one of then, a man can be heard saying
that he has many “sponsors from America and Russia” and telling another to
recruit “the ones who came from Ukraine.” The two men also appeared to discuss a
drone attack on an unknown target.
The NSS claimed to have found and confiscated a quadrocopter drone along with
weapons and ammunition during searches conducted in the suspects’ homes and
other locations. It said it also seized handwritten texts detailing the foiled
conspiracy.
A purported screenshot of one such document released by the NSS calls for
attracting members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a pro-Western
fringe group increasingly critical of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. The group
led by Zhirayr Sefilian, a prominent nationalist figure, did not immediately
comment on that.
The NSS statement said that the alleged plotters planned to create fake
Ukrainian and Moldovan social media accounts in a bid to drum up popular support
for that they would have called a “national salvation revolt.”
The NSS claimed to have foiled a similar plot in late September when it arrested
eight men accused of conspiring to assassinate Pashinian and seize power. The
suspects include Albert Bazeyan, a once prominent politician who had served as
mayor of Yerevan over two decades ago. Bazeyan denies the accusations.
Azeri Troops Not Massed At Border, Says Armenian Official
• Astghik Bedevian
Armenia - Yerevan-based foreign military attaches visit a border area in Syunik
province, May 20, 2021.
A senior Armenian official on Thursday seemed to downplay the risk of an
Azerbaijani invasion of Armenia, saying that Baku has not amassed a significant
number of troops along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
“According to my information, there is no military buildup around Armenia’s
borders at the moment,” deputy parliament speaker Hakob Arshakian told reporters.
“Is there a threat [of Azerbaijani attack] or not?” he went on. “There have been
positive developments lately in terms of a change in [Azerbaijani] rhetoric and
statements by international authoritative bodies, parliaments, governments and
other entities to the effect that Armenia’s territorial integrity cannot be
called into question.”
“I’m not saying that that everything is wonderful and there is no danger,”
Arshakian said, pointing to a joint Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercise held
in Azerbaijan late last month.
The Armenian government said in early September that Azerbaijani troops are
massing along the border and the “line of contact” in Nagorno-Karabakh in
possible preparation for a large-scale attack. About two weeks later, they
launched an offensive in Karabakh that caused a mass exodus of its population
and paved the way for the restoration of Baku’s control over the region.
The Azerbaijani takeover of Karabakh raised more fears in Yerevan that Baku will
also invade Armenia to open an exterritorial land corridor to Nakhichevan. A
senior Armenian diplomat said on October 8 that the attack could be launched in
the coming weeks.
The U.S.-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention likewise warned on
Wednesday of the “alarming potential for an invasion of Armenia by Azerbaijan in
the coming days and weeks.”
“Azerbaijan has long coveted Armenia’s southern Syunik Province, which has been
discussed in the recent past as the site of an Azerbaijani-controlled ‘Zangezur
Corridor’ to Nakhichevan,” it said in a “red flag alert” posted on its website.
Commenting to that warning, the U.S. State Department reiterated that an attack
on Armenia “would bring serious consequences.”
“The United States strongly supports Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity,” it told the Voice of America.
Moscow Slams Yerevan Over Fresh ‘Anti-Russian’ Moves
Russia - Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova attends the Saint
Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), June 16, 2022.
Russia accused Armenia on Thursday of continuing to ruin Russian-Armenian
relations when it reacted to a senior Armenian official’s participation in
multilateral peace talks initiated by Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, also charged that
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government is behind what she described as the
“Russophobic” content of Armenian pro-government media.
Armen Grigorian, the secretary of Armenia’s Security Council, was among
representatives of more than 60 countries who gathered in Malta last week to
discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s plan to end the war with
Russia. Grigorian also met with Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on
the sidelines of the two-day meeting condemned by Russia as a “blatantly
anti-Russian event.”
Zakharova said Moscow views Grigorian’s trip to Malta as a “demonstrative
anti-Russian gesture of official Yerevan.” She linked it to Pashinian’s October
6 conversation with Zelenskiy, which took place during a European summit in
Spain, and his wife Anna Hakobian’s September visit to Kyiv.
“In Yerevan, I think, they should be aware that this is a demonstrative
flirtation with those who aggressively oppose our country,” Zakharova told a
news briefing. “It is regrettable that the current leadership of the republic is
purposefully and persistently destroying our allied relations, which not so long
ago it itself called the most important factor in the stability and prosperity
of Armenia.”
Malta - Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's presidential office head, meets Armen
Grigorian, secretary of Armenia's Security Council, October 28, 2023.
Tensions between the two longtime allies rose further following Azerbaijan’s
September 19-20 military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh that forced its ethnic
Armenian population to flee to Armenia. Pashinian accused Russian peacekeepers
of failing to protect the Karabakh Armenians against the “ethnic cleansing.”
In an October 17 speech at the European Parliament, Pashinian also alleged that
Moscow is using the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to try to oust him from power. A
Russian official responded by the telling the official TASS news agency that the
Armenian premier is “following in Zelenskiy’s footsteps” and helping the West
“turn Armenia into another Ukraine.”
The Armenian Foreign Ministry handed the Russian ambassador in Yerevan a protest
note on October 24 one day after Russia’s leading state broadcaster, Channel
One, derided and lambasted Pashinian during an hour-long program. For its part,
the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Armenian charge d’affaires the
following day to condemn what it called anti-Russian propaganda spread by
Armenian Public Television and other pro-government media outlets.
Zakharova claimed that what those outlets have been disseminating is “not just
insults but undisguised Russophobia.”
“We do understand who is behind the funding of these [media] resources,” she
said. “If they think over there that we don’t know who pays for it all, we know.”
Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Author: Maral Takmazian
Canada’s first ambassador to Armenia lands in Yerevan as Ottawa preaches peace in the Caucasus
Canada – Oct 20 2023
As Armenia deals with a refugee influx triggered by a military shelling campaign of a breakaway region by its rival Azerbaijan, Canada's first ambassador to the country has landed in Yerevan and received his credentials.
"It's a great honour to take this post as Canada's first resident ambassador, first in what will be a long line as we continue to build upon our very strong partnership," Andrew Turner tells Armenia's Foreign Affairs Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in an official video released by the Armenian government Wednesday afternoon.
More than 100,000 ethnic Armenian refugees fled to Armenia in September after Azerbaijan began what it called an "anti-terror" shelling operation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The long-disputed region is recognized as part of Azerbaijan under international law, but historically has had a majority Armenian population.
Turner's appointment was announced last month and his arrival in Yerevan follows a joint declaration, signed by Canada, the United States and more than 30 other countries, that was presented by France at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last week.
- More than 80% of ethnic Armenian population has fled Nagorno-Karabakh
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- Canada names new ambassador to Armenia amid Nagorno-Karabakh tensions
It urged Azerbaijan to "ensure the rights and security of those Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians who remain and to promptly create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of those who wish to go home."
The statement also called for dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan to guarantee a lasting peace in the Caucasus.
But a senior Canadian diplomatic source told CBC News there's little chance the refugees who fled Nagorno-Karabakh will ever return home.
"The confidence between the populations is low after all these wars. People are afraid for their safety, their future. And to convince them that they may come back safely will not be easy. It will require from Azerbaijan not only a lot of declarations but a concrete plan," said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to comment publicly on the matter.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan gained a decisive upper hand after the shelling campaign in September, which caused most of the region's Armenians to seek refuge in neighbouring Armenia. That campaign followed a blockade of food and medical supplies entering Nagorno-Karabakh that lasted more than nine months.
The government of Armenia and some international observers have accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing. Local journalists have reported civilians have told them of family members who were killed during Azerbaijan's campaign.
Azerbaijan has insisted it conducted an "anti-terror" operation and has said any Armenians who wish to live under its rule may return with full respect for their rights.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev travelled to Nagorno-Karabakh's deserted former capital of Stepanakert this weekend. A social media video publicized by his government showed him stepping over the breakaway region's flag.
Aliyev, dressed in military fatigues, gave a speech in front of a building that used to house the former ethnic Armenian government of Nagorno-Karabakh. "They are having tea now in a detention facility," he said, referring to some of the building's former occupants, now under arrest.
He accused the former regional government of not taking him seriously when he said Nagorno-Karabakh would return to Azerbaijan's control.
"I do what I say and everyone knows it, including Armenia. And they should not forget it either," he said.
People run from gunfire and explosions in Stepanakert, called Khankendi by Azerbaijan, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region on September 19, 2023, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video. (ARTSAKH PUBLIC TV via REUTERS)
The Canadian diplomatic source said goodwill would be needed on all sides in a future negotiation process.
"If there's an inch of possibility that these people will come back home, safely, with their property, and with some political condition that would allow them to control their schools and this kind of thing, it would be good," the source said.
Last month's fighting ended with local ethnic Armenian defence forces handing over their weapons to Azerbaijan and the de facto Armenian government of the region, unrecognized by any country, stating it would dissolve itself by the end of this year.
Local authorities said at least 200 people were killed in the campaign.
While the Canadian government source is expressing the hope that Azerbaijan will sit down for negotiations, some are less optimistic.
"What [the return of ethnic Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh] is going to require is not just policy change, but a change in government," said Toronto-based immigration lawyer Aidan Simardone, who has a masters in global affairs from the Munk School of Global Affairs and has observed the tensions in the region for years. "President Aliyev has never demonstrated his respect for Armenians."
Simardone also called for Europe to stop importing gas from Azerbaijan, and for the United States to stop selling weapons to the country.
"I think what we need to do is not just punish, but also say why it's being done," he said. "If Azerbaijan wants to deal with the West, it has to ensure the respect of Armenians to return."
Simardone also warned the conflict is not over, pointing to recent statements from the government of Azerbaijan referring to a strip of land within Armenia's borders in the south that would connect Azerbaijan from Nagorno Karabakh to an Azerbaijani enclave on Armenia's west called Nakhchivan.
"I think this is going to be pushed," he said, adding that if Azerbaijan makes a grab at that land, "the West is just going to flee."
In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said that "Armenia's territorial integrity must be respected, and Canada supports ongoing negotiations, based on principles of the non-use of force, territorial integrity and self-determination in resolving the conflict."
The NDP and Bloc Québécois have joined the Armenian National Committee of Canada, a Canadian-Armenian political advocacy group, in calling on the federal government to sanction Azerbaijan.
Asked about sanctions at a news conference on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly repeated her previous stance that everything is on the table.
"We always say that all countries in the world need to respect the borders of their neighbours and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbours," she said. "That's the same for Armenia. That's the same for Azerbaijan."
Joly also said she will be traveling to Armenia in the next few weeks and would have more to say then.
Austrian parliament condemns ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh perpetrated by Azerbaijan
10:16,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS. The Austrian parliament has unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Embassy of Armenia in Austria said in a statement.
Ambassador of Armenia to Austria Armen Papikyan participated in the Austrian parliament session as an honorary guest.
Multiple Austrian Members of Parliament delivered speeches condemning the Azeri actions and calling on the Austrian federal government to support Armenia and the forcibly displaced persons of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The resolution calls on the federal government “to condemn in all international platforms and bilateral discussions Azerbaijan’s military actions that led to the mass exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.”
The resolution also highlights the importance of the protection of the rights of the ethnic Armenians who’ve stayed in Nagorno-Karabakh and those willing to return, as well as the implementation of the ICJ rulings regarding the free movement along Lachin Corridor.
The Austrian parliament also calls on the federal government to be involved in ensuring the free and unimpeded access of international humanitarian organizations to Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as ensuring the protection of the cultural values and churches in Nagorno-Karabakh. The resolution also calls for provisions of necessary resources to Armenia, as a priority country for the Austrian Development Agency, for further stabilizing the humanitarian situation.
Armenpress: U.S. State Department denies report on Blinken warning lawmakers that Azerbaijan may invade Armenia soon
04:11,
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The United States Department of State has denied the Politico report that claimed Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned U.S. lawmakers last week that Azerbaijan may invade Armenia in the coming weeks.
In written comments to Armenpress, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the reporting in the article is “inaccurate and in no way reflects what Secretary Blinken said to lawmakers.”
“The United States strongly supports Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have stressed that any infringement of that sovereignty and territorial integrity would bring serious consequences. The reporting in this article is inaccurate and in no way reflects what Secretary Blinken said to lawmakers,” Miller said.
U.S. Rep. Eshoo, Former Speaker Pelosi lead bipartisan congressional call to sanction Azerbaijan
11:33, 3 October 2023
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS. 75 U.S. Congressmembers are calling on the Biden Administration to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan and enforce Section 907 restrictions on U.S. military aid to the Aliyev regime, ANCA reports.
In this latest Congressional letter led by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), a bipartisan group of lawmakers condemned Azerbaijan’s “unprovoked military offensive” and “cruel nine-month blockade” of Nagorno-Karabakh, which “left the region’s Armenian population with no option but to flee, fearing for their future under Azerbaijan’s brutal authoritarian rule.” The U.S. Representatives stated, “It is clear that our country’s response to this crisis has not been commensurate with the scale of the devastation. We believe the United States must make clear to Azerbaijan that its unprovoked aggression against Artsakh is unacceptable and will be met with an appropriate response.”
The lawmakers noted that “this preventable humanitarian disaster is unfolding on our watch,” despite efforts of atrocities prevention scholars sounding the alarm about the genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The lawmakers suggested three specific actions the Biden Administration must take “to bring an end to this needless suffering and ensure Azerbaijan faces consequences for engaging in ethnic cleansing.” Those actions include:
1) Enforce Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, a provision of current law that prohibits U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, and impose targeted sanctions on Azerbaijani officials under the Global Magnitsky Act to make clear to Azerbaijan that its aggression will not be tolerated.
2) Provide robust humanitarian assistance to support Nagorno-Karabakh’s displaced population and rally the international community to do the same by leading the establishment of an international humanitarian relief operation.
3) Take all actions necessary to ensure the safe evacuation of NK population to Armenia, including through the immediate deployment of observers to the Lachin Corridor, as well as direct engagement with Azerbaijani authorities to secure amnesty for NK local leaders.
Joining Rep. Eshoo and Speaker Emerita Pelosi is co-signing the letter to President Biden are Representatives: Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Joaquín Castro (D-TX), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Lou Correa (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Larson (D-CT), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Mike Levin (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Jenn McClellan (D-VA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), James McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Katie Porter (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Dina Titus (D-NV), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), David Valadao (R-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Susan Wild (D-PA), and Nikema Williams (D-GA).
The full text of the Congressional letter is
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1121064.html?fbclid=IwAR1tJufdVsmb0IDEzrabPsT8ioN90wVd-jAfN4Yt8YN2tQm_fwnZjBNYx1U
Asbarez: Yerevan Condemns Azerbaijan’s Arrest of Artsakh Leaders
Artsakh leaders attend Mass before the Lachin Corridor blockade in December
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the arrest of prominent Artsakh leaders by Azerbaijan, pledging, in a statement, that Armenia will take all steps to protect their rights.
This comes as Azerbaijani sources on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of Artsakh’s former presidents, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakian and Arkady Ghukasian, as well as that of parliament speaker Davit Ishkhanyan. Earlier this week it was reported that former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, the former foreign minister Davit Babayan and two high-ranking Artsakh military commanders were also arrested.
“Despite statements made by high-level Azerbaijani government officials on willingness for dialogue with Nagorno-Karabakh representatives about respecting and protecting the rights of Armenians and not obstructing their return to Nagorno-Karabakh and on the establishment of peace in the region, the Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies continue to carry out arbitrary arrests,” Armenia’s foreign ministry said.
The statement also pointed out that Armenia, on several occasions, has called for the need to guarantee such actions, “including on September 23 from the podium of the UN General Assembly.”
“On September 28, the Republic of Armenia appealed to the UN International Court of Justice, within the framework of the Armenia vs. Azerbaijan case examined as part of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, requesting provisional measures demanding Azerbaijan to refrain from taking punitive actions against current or former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders or military personnel,” explained the foreign ministry.
“The Republic of Armenia will take all possible steps to protect the rights of the unlawfully arrested Nagorno-Karabakh representatives in international bodies, including judicial bodies,” the statement said.
“We also call upon international partners to follow up their calls made thus far to Azerbaijan regarding the protection of the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, and address the issue both in bilateral relations with Azerbaijan and within various international bodies,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.
Armenpress: Armenia requests ICJ to indicate provisional measures against Azerbaijan
22:25, 29 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Armenia, referring to Article 41 of the ICJ Statute and Article 73 of the Rules of Court, submitted a request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) yesterday for the indication of provisional measures against Azerbaijan, “to preserve and protect rights enshrined in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (‘CERD’)”.
Armenia requests the Court to indicate the following provisional measures, and to reaffirm Azerbaijan’s obligations under the Orders it has rendered in this case, in particular those of 7 December 2021 and 22 February 2023:
“1) Azerbaijan shall refrain from taking any measures which might entail breaches of its obligations under the CERD;
“2) Azerbaijan shall refrain from taking any actions directly or indirectly aimed at or having the effect of displacing the remaining ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, or preventing the safe and expeditious return to their homes of persons displaced in the course of the recent military attack including those who have fled to Armenia or third States, while permitting those who wish to leave Nagorno-Karabakh to do so without any hindrance;
“3) Azerbaijan shall withdraw all military and law-enforcement personnel from all civilian establishments in Nagorno-Karabakh occupied as a result of its armed attack on 19 September 2023;
“4) Azerbaijan shall facilitate, and refrain from placing any impediment on, the access of the United Nations and its specialized agencies to the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall not interfere with their activities in any way;
“5) Azerbaijan shall facilitate, and refrain from placing any impediment on, the ability of the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide humanitarian aid to the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross to address the other consequences of the recent conflict;
“6) Azerbaijan shall immediately facilitate the full restoration of public utilities, including gas and electricity, to Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall refrain from disrupting them in the future;
“7) Azerbaijan shall refrain from taking punitive actions against the current or former political representatives or military personnel of Nagorno-Karabakh;
“8) Azerbaijan shall not alter or destroy any monument commemorating the 1915 Armenian genocide or any other monument or Armenian cultural artefact or site present in Nagorno-Karabakh;
“9) Azerbaijan shall recognize and give effect to civil registers, identity documents and property titles and registers established by the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall not destroy or confiscate such registers and documents;
“10) Azerbaijan shall submit a report to the Court on all measures taken to give effect to this Order within one month, as from the date of this Order, and thereafter every three months, until a final decision on the case is rendered by the Court.”
Asbarez: Baku Announces 300-Person ‘Most Wanted’ List of Prominent Artsakh Leaders
Former Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan (right) with the former commander of Artsakh forces Jalal Harutyunyan during a meeting in 2020
Artsakh’s former president Arayik Harutyunyan and the former commander of the Artsakh’s Defense Army Jalal Harutyunyan are among 300 prominent Artsakh leaders who are listed a “most wanted” list announced by Azerbaijan Sunday.
Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor Generel Kamran Aliyev announced the list saying that they have all been placed under international “most wanted” lists.
The former president and commander are being charged “in connection with rocket attacks on the civilian population of Ganja and the killings of civilians during the 44-day war,” according to the Azerbaijani prosecutor, who confirmed that four people from the 300-person list have already been arrested and imprisoned.
Azerbaijani authorities confirmed on Saturday that former Artsakh Foreign Minister and current presidential adviser David Babayan is in Azerbaijani custody.
Babayan on Thursday said in a social media post that he planned to travel to occupied Shushi to turn himself in to Azerbaijani authorities.
Azerbaijani guards also have arrested the former First Deputy Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army Major General Davit Manukyan and the commander of the Artsakh forces Lieutenant general Levon Mnatsakanyan.
These arrests followed the very public apprehension of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan on Wednesday. Vardanyan has been remanded to pre-trial custody for four months.
Asbarez: Former Artsakh Foreign Minister in Azerbaijani Custody
Republic of Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan offering the keynote address at the Capitol Hill Salute to Artsakh’s Independence in 2022
Azerbaijani authorities confirmed on Saturday that former Artsakh Foreign Minister and current presidential adviser David Babayan is in Azerbaijani custody, as Baku continues to round up prominent Artsakh political figures.
Reuters reported earlier that the Azerbaijani government is targeting some 200 Artsakh leaders for arrests and prosecution.
Babayan on Thursday said in a social media post that he planned to travel to occupied Shushi to turn himself in to Azerbaijani authorities.
“You all know that I am included in the black list of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani side demanded my arrival in Baku for an appropriate investigation. I decided to head from Stepanakert to Shushi today,” Babayan said in a social media post Thursday.
The Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s office said that an arrest warrant was issued for Babayan on October 28, 2020 when he was charged with allegedly “planning war; organizing mercenary units; violating international laws during combat operations; terrorism; and ethnic hatred.”
Azerbaijani guards also have arrested the former First Deputy Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army Major General Davit Manukyan and the commander of the Artsakh forces Lieutenant general Levon Mnatsakanyan.
These arrests followed the very public apprehension of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan on Wednesday. Vardanyan has been remanded to pre-trial custody for four months.
Hundreds rallied on Saturday in Yerevan in support of Ruben Vardanyan and all other illegally detained Armenians in Azerbaijan.
A rally in Yerevan protesting the arrest of Ruben Vardanyan and other Artsakh officials
“We call on all world leaders, the news media and human rights advocates, to join this struggle and demand the unconditional, immediate and safe release and return of Ruben Vardanyan and all prisoners, all illegally detained persons,” said Ruben Hayrapetyan, the organizer of the demonstration.
“The world must see and realize that what’s happening now is not only a crime against humanity but also a crime against civilization,” he added, noting that the fabricated charges pressed by the Azerbaijani authorities against Vardanyan and other captives are “ridiculous and fake.”
The demonstrators walked through downtown Yerevan toward theMatena International School of Leadership and Professional Development, founded by Vardanyan, is located.
Arman Jilavyan, a personal friend to Ruben Vardanyan and CEO of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, read a statement made by Aurora Humanitarian Initiative and signed by global humanitarian leaders in support of Vardanyan.
Below is the text of the statement.
The recent arrest by the government of Azerbaijan of philanthropist, businessman, Armenian citizen and co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, Ruben Vardanyan, is both outrageous and politically motivated. As members of the global humanitarian and human rights community we call for his immediate release.
The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, to which Ruben has given so much, has for the past eight years honored and supported the work of those who fight for basic human rights, often at the risk of their own lives, all around the world. The irony is that Ruben now finds himself a victim of the same persecution as those he has sought to help as a human rights defender.
When Ruben moved to Nagorno-Karabakh over a year ago, prior to the 10-month-long blockade of all food and basic necessities and recent bombings, he did so knowing that there were significant risks, but he was determined to help find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Detaining Ruben, a man who has spent the last 20 years dedicated to advancing the socio-economic development of the region, is unjust. This action deprives him of his basic rights much like the tens of thousands of Armenians of the region whose fundamental human rights are violated daily.
Ruben Vardanyan is being held captive because of his support for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and their right to a democratic way of life. The Azerbaijani government must release him and demonstrate their respect for human rights – his and those of all Armenians of the region.