Author: Parkev Tvankchian

The assessments that the Prime Minister of Armenia made during his recent press conference are extremely dangerous for the vital rights of the Armenians of Artsakh and obstruct protection from the policy of genocide of Azerbaijan. This is stated in the statement that Human Rights Defenders of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arman Tatoyan and Gegham Stepanyan put into circulation.

“The approaches voiced at the press conference of the Prime Minister of Armenia on Dec. 24 completely contradict the natural rights of the Armenians of Artsakh to security and create fertile ground for Azerbaijan’s violations. These approaches fundamentally jeopardize the natural right to national self-determination.

According to the Prime Minister of Armenia, the consistent discriminatory policy of persecution against the Armenian people, the atrocities, the deprivation of property by Azerbaijan in 1923 and other illegal acts for the eviction of Armenians from the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) are overlooked.

The Azerbaijani state policy of hatred and enmity towards Armenia is that, in 2020, during the war, this led to massive ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, destruction of cities and villages (Stepanakert, Martuni, Shushi, Hadrut, etc.), depriving people of their homes, torture and atrocities, murder, desecration and destruction of churches.

After the war, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, under the auspices of the Azerbaijani authorities, continue to violate the vital rights of the people of Artsakh and kill civilians.

We consider the assessments of the Prime Minister of Armenia extremely dangerous. They substantiate the supremacy of political issues over human rights, reinforce Azerbaijan’s false theses that ignore human rights. We urge everyone to stop ignoring human rights, creating fertile ground for false Azerbaijani theses, to exclude the subordination of human rights to political issues, as well as to refrain from creating artificial obstacles to protect the rights of our compatriots, especially in international instances,” the statement reads.

YEREVAN. – A number of Armenia servicemen in charge on duty on November 16 have been arrested, whereas one soldier showed exceptional courage. This is noted in a statement issued Saturday by the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

As per this statement, on November 16, the Azerbaijani army units attacked three Armenian military positions located in the Kilisali-border Ishkhanasar section of Syunik Province, during which the head of the Armenian military position involved in the combat duty, a senior, and two observers violated the rules of combat duty.

In particular, the servicemen of the combat duty positions tried to negotiate with the Azerbaijani servicemen who had invaded the territory of the combat position, and who tried to capture the personnel on combat duty. The personnel of these positions left them and fled, as a result of which the servicemen of the Azerbaijani army invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia—the combat positions, which came under the control of the adversary, and the 24 servicemen who fled the combat positions were captured by the adversary. The dead bodies of three of them—Gurgen Sargsyan, Artur Martirosyan—and Davit Amiryan—who were killed, were handed over to the Armenian side on November 17 and 20, seven Armenian servicemen—including the abovementioned four servicemen—were returned by Azerbaijan on November 26 and December 4, whereas the whereabouts of 14 servicemen is still unknown.

On December 6, the serviceman in charge of the mentioned combat position, a senior, a junior sergeant, and two observers were arrested on suspicion of violating the rules of combat duty or military service. On December 8 and 9, criminal charges were brought against them, a petition was filed with the court to remand them in custody, and the court granted this petition.

In addition, it turned out that the deputy commander of the military unit’s battalion in terms of moral and psychological support had violated the rules of combat duty. The servicemen of the Azerbaijani army invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia—a combat position, the 13 Armenian servicemen remaining at this combat position were captured by the adversary, and the combat position came under the control of the adversary. The dead bodies of captured soldiers Taron Sahakyan and Arsen Gasparyan were handed over to the Armenian side on November 17 and 19, respectively, four other servicemen were returned to the Armenian side by Azerbaijan on December 4, whereas the whereabouts of the other seven servicemen are still unknown. .

On December 6, a major was detained, a criminal charged was brought against him, a petition was filed with the court to remand him in custody, but this petition was denied. This court decision has been forwarded to the prosecutor, with a request to consider an appeal.

Criminal charges have been brought against the acting commander of the defense battalion of the same military unit and the observer of the combat position, and they have been remanded in custody.

The investigation continues.

The body conducting the proceedings considers it necessary to also present to the public the exploits of the Armenian position guards who stood out with their exceptional courage while performing their duties during the mentioned military operations. In particular, on November 16, Private Gurgen Sargsyan, a contract soldier on duty in the mentioned military position located in the Kilisali-border Ishkhanasar section of Syunik Province, did not surrender to the adversary during the attack and capture attempt by the adversary forces, showed fighting spirit, exceptional courage, and killed himself by detonating a hand grenade.