Category: 2021

Armenia-Azerbaijan prisoner exchange: two Armenian and one Azerbaijani soldier returned

Kanayan Tamar
Sept 8 2021
    JAMnews, Baku-Yerevan

Armenia and Azerbaijan exchange prisoners

A Russian military plane with two Armenian prisoners on board has landed at the Erebuni airport in Yerevan. They have been accompanied by the commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh Rustam Muradov. It has been reported that Armenia returned one Azerbaijani soldier to Baku.

  • Azerbaijani soldier detained in Karabakh on several charges including espionage
  • Echo of the second Karabakh war: why Baku got the opportunity to blockade the south of Armenia
  • Azerbaijan discusses legitimacy of Russian peacekeepers’ presence in Karabakh

Two Armenian prisoners returned to their homeland – Artur Nalbandyan and Aramais Torozyan.

Two military men, as previously reported by Armenian sources, got lost due to fog at dawn on July 14 near Lake Sevlich (Black Lake) in the Syunik region of Armenia. The Ministry of Defense reported that the soldiers were traveling by car and carried out their official duties but they had no weapons on them.

With the mediation of Russia, negotiations were held with representatives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in order to determine whether the soldiers had crossed into the Azerbaijani territory. However, all this time the Azerbaijani side did not provide any information, and nothing was known about the fate of the military. Azerbaijan did not confirm the fact of their capture.

On September 7, they were exchanged for Jamil Babayev, an Azerbaijani serviceman who was detained in Nagorno-Karabakh, in one of the houses of Martakert. He entered the house, where at that time there were only two teenagers, threatened the children, and demanded food and cigarettes. He was fed, after which they promised to go to the store for cigarettes. One of the teenagers left the house and called the police.

The law enforcement agencies of the unrecognized NKR detained an Azerbaijani soldier and launched a criminal case under several articles of the criminal code. Babayev was accused of espionage, illegal crossing of the state border with the threat of murder of underage residents of the apartment.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry issued a statement saying that the serviceman Jamil Babayev had left the psychiatric ward of the hospital in Ganja without permission. The Azerbaijani side also launched an investigation at that time.

This time the Armenian prisoners were also accompanied by the commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in NK Rustam Muradov. He is completing his mission, in connection with this on September 6, he met with the Minister of Defense of Armenia. Now it is reported that Muradov flew to Baku after the agreements was reached at this meeting.

The number of Armenian prisoners, confirmed by the Azerbaijani side, according to the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, is 60 people. However, Armenian human rights activists argue that the real number of prisoners held in Azerbaijan is much higher.

Reports from Baku

Azerbaijani Jamil Babayev, detained by the Armenians on the territory controlled by the peacekeepers in Agdera, was returned to Baku. This was reported by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Citizens of Azerbaijan.

According to available information, Babayev was returned to Azerbaijan through the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. Babayev was exchanged for two Armenian soldiers – Artur Nalbandyan and Aramais Torozyan.

CSUN Lecturer Documents Stories From the Last Armenia/Azerbaijan Conflict

Antonian Lara

Sept 7 2021


  • Media Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler

CSUN criminology and justice studies lecturer Megan Mangassarian, front right, 
with a group of displaced children at a refugee hotel in Armenia. Photo courtesy of Megan Mangassarian.

They are stories California State University, Northridge criminology and justice studies lecturer Megan Mangassarian will never forget: Women and children fleeing bombings and drone attacks in the middle of the night, with no time to grab shoes or jackets. The young mother who still doesn’t know if her husband is dead or a prisoner of war after he volunteered to fight against the latest incursion by Azerbaijan forces.

Mangassarian is part of a team of lawyers in the United States and Armenia who founded the nonprofit Center for Truth and Justice earlier this year to document the stories of Armenian civilians caught in the latest conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“When the war started, everyone in the U.S. Armenian community wanted to help,” Mangassarian said. “Everyone tried to figure out what their skillset was and in what way they could use those skills to help those being impacted by the war. We decided, as a group, that we were going to preserve testimonials and evidence of the war so that these stories never get lost.”

Megan Mangassarian shopping for underwear for displaced women in Armenia. Photo courtesy of Megan Mangassarian.

A tenuous ceasefire negotiated by Russia last November halted a 44-day war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, known as Artsakh by Armenians. Who has control over Nagorno-Karabakh has been the subject of often violent clashes between the two countries since the early 20th century. At least 6,500 people were killed, including dozens of civilians, in the latest conflict, which has forced thousands from their homes and led to the destruction of churches and other historical sites that date as far back as the fifth century.

Mangassarian and her colleagues at the Center for Truth and Justice are drawing on their professional expertise in collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses to preserve the accounts of the Armenian civilians caught in the middle of the latest conflict, for possible future court cases and to memorialize what has happened.

“There really is pressure to make sure that we are doing everything the right way, making sure we are following all the legal requirements and that we conduct ourselves with dignity and integrity, and with respect for what these people have gone through,” she said.

Mangassarian, who earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology, with an emphasis in criminology and criminal justice, from CSUN in 2012, teaches victimology — the study of the psychological effects on victims, relationships between victims and offenders, and the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system — as well as ethics in the criminal justice system, at CSUN. As a lawyer, she specializes in working with women and children who have been the victims of violence and sexual assault. She drew on those experiences for her work with the center.

Megan Mangassarian at the Armenian Noravank Monastery, built in the 13th century. Photo courtesy of Megan Mangassarian.

She traveled to Armenia last winter to see firsthand what survivors of the conflict were going through. She returned shortly thereafter to set up the Center for Truth and Justice as the country director for the organization.

During one of those trips, Mangassarian visited a hotel that was hosting more than 100 refugees from the conflict.

“While the hotel could give them a place to stay for free, it couldn’t give them everything they needed,” she said. “There were mostly women and children who fled their homes with practically nothing but the clothes on their backs. Some didn’t even have a chance to stop for shoes or jackets, or any form of identification.”

While Mangassarian was bringing clothes for the families, women would ask her if she had any underwear she could give them.

“My mind was blown,” she said. “It’s winter and we think we need to get them shoes and jackets so they don’t freeze. But they needed more than that. They needed the basic necessities — underwear, feminine hygiene products, diapers. They were displaced families, wives and mothers who had no idea where their sons and husbands were.”

Recognizing the need, Mangassarian, outside of her work with the center, spent time connecting the refugees with agencies and individuals who provided them with the goods they needed.

“I did my own fundraising for jackets and shoes and then specific items like underwear — and delivered them myself in various regions,” she said. “I also did a photoshoot for all of the kids and used that to create a sponsorship program to connect these families with U.S. families. Each family in Armenia was assigned a U.S. family as a sponsor to continue to help meet their needs.”

Mangassarian said CSUN’s virtual-learning environment, due to the pandemic, provided her the opportunity to continue teaching her classes while she was in Armenia.

“I would share with them where I was and what I was doing,” she said. “One of the subjects I teach is victimology, and I was able to use what I was doing in Armenia to give them a first-hand look at the importance of understanding and respecting the needs of the victims of violent crimes, and how to advocate on their behalf.”

They were lessons she also shared with the Armenian law students working with the center to document the stories of civilians impacted by the conflict.

“It’s a rare opportunity for law students to train with attorneys from another country, to expand their understanding of law and gain another country’s perspective of how law works, particularly in the relatively new field of victimology,” Mangassarian said. “I feel honored that I was able to do that, not just with the Armenian students I was working with, but also to share what I was doing with the students in my classes at CSUN.”


Armenia sees opportunity for discussion on normalization of relations with Turkey: Pashinyan responds to Erdogan

Karapet Navasardian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 8 2021
September 8, 2021, 11:23

 

Deepening or normalization of relations with neighboring countries is an important foreign policy direction of the government, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the cabinet meeting today.

He said the provision is enshrined in the government’s Action Plan approved by the National Assembly.

The Prime Minister noted that the development of regional communications is high on the agenda in the discussions with Iran and Georgia. In this context he attached importance to the North-South project, which connects Armenia’s border with Iran to the border with Georgia.

“The establishment of rail communication with Russia and Iran is also very important to us. To solve the issue we are discussing the reopening of communications in the trilateral Armenia-Azerbaijan-Russia format. We are resolute to make efforts to achieve concrete results, aware that Azerbaijan, in turn, expects to get communication between its western regions and Nakhijevan,” Pashinyan said.

He reiterated Armenia’s willingness to resume the peace process with Azerbaijan within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship format.

PM Pashinyan attached importance to the agenda of delimitation and demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan and noted that the Armenian side continues to work to establish due conditions.

“We hope to complete the process of return of prisoners of war, captives and other detainees to Armenia as soon as possible,” he added.

Referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest statements, Nikol Pashinyan said “we see an opportunity to talk about normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, recommissioning of the rail and road communication.”

“We are ready for such conversation, which could get a broader framework against the background of the above. In a broader sense it is about making the region a crossroad between the East and the West, the North and the South,” the PM stated.

He hailed the Russian Federation’s willingness to support the process. “The EU, France and the United States are also interested in the process, while the interest of China and India in the development of communication projects is well known,” he said.

Pashinyan emphasized that “regional peace and stability is a long-term strategy, and we are responsible for solving the issue.”

“Peace, stability and cooperation are easy-to-announce and desirable goals, but their implementation requires well-thought, pragmatic efforts,” Nikol Pashinayn said, adding that “Armenia is ready to make the effort.”

EU’s Charles Michel discusses Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement with Putin

Ani Basmajian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 8 2021
September 8, 2021, 14:47

 

President of the European Council Charles Michel and Russian president Vladimir Putin have discussed the prospects for Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement.

“Exchanged views on prospects for the Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement – confidence building and dialogue are needed,” Mr. Michel said in a Twitter post following a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin.

The interlocutors discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan and their impact on the broader region.

“The EU and Russia share an interest in regional stability,” Michel said on Twitter.

Armenia opens its sky for Azerbaijani aviation

Jalatian Sonya
Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 8 2021
 8 Sep in 12:20

For the first time after the Karabakh war, the aircraft Boeing-737, on a passenger domestic flight in Azerbaijan, travelled over Armenia’s airspace, according to Flight Radar.

Turkish Airlines flight TK326 from Ganja to Nakhchivan was carried out on September 4, this information appeared today. The plane took off from Ganja at 9.57 (5.57 UTC) and landed in Nakhichevan at 10.32 (6.32 UTC), the flight duration was 35 minutes.

According to Flight Radar, tthe aircraft was shown flying over Goycha (Sevan) and Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province.

Azerbaijan denies allegations of burning down pastures near Sotk

Emil Lazarian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Sept 6 2021

Azerbaijani militaries were not involved in the fires near the Armenian village of Sotk, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) has assured in response to accusations of setting pastures on fire.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Arman Tatoyan, the Armenian Ombudsperson, stated that on September 4 Azerbaijani militaries set fire to pastures near the village of Sotk, Gegarkunik Region, as a result of which about 40 hectares were burnt out.

The Azerbaijani MoD has treated this information as slander, the “haqqin.az” reports.

Let us remind you that on August 30, Arman Tatoyan also accused Azerbaijani militaries of setting fire to pastures near the villages of Sotk and Kut on the border with the Kelbadjar District.

Because of the fires, cattle breeders of the Gegarkunik Region have faced fodder problems for their livestock; while the hay prices doubled, residents of the border villages have reported.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan and Armenia are regularly exchanging accusations of violating the ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict zone and on the mutual border.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 5, 2021 at 03:43 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Armenian villagers ask for help because of fires near border with Azerbaijan, Armenian Ombudsperson warns of fires threatening villages of Gegarkunik Region, Azerbaijan rejects allegations of burning pastures at Armenian border.

Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

Karabakh Ombudsman accuses Azerbaijan of a shelling attack on a village

Yeghisabet Arthur
Caucasian Knot, EU
Sept 7 2021

A house of a resident of the Tagavard village in the Martuni District has been damaged during a shelling attack by the Azerbaijani armed forces, and no people were injured, the Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh reports.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in August, shelling attacks on the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops became as regular as on the eve of the autumn war in 2020, but the sides are not using heavy weapons now.

“As a result of shelling attacks from the Azerbaijani positions in the direction of the villages of Karmir Shuka (the Azerbaijani name is Qırmızı Bazar, – note of the ‘Caucasian Knot’) and Tagavard in the Martuni District, the house of one of the residents of the Tagavard community has been damaged … Six civilians live in the house, including a child,” Gegam Stepanyan, Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh, wrote on Facebook.

He also adds that “after the midnight, Azerbaijan continued shelling in the direction of the village.” The Ombudsman notes there are no casualties among the civilians.

“The Azerbaijani positions near peaceful villages and towns of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) pose a direct threat to the lives, health, and the rights of the people of Artsakh and disrupt the everyday activities of the civilians living in the villages and towns,” Gegam Stepanyan claims in his statement.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 7, 2021 at 08:07 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Azerbaijan reports shootout near Shusha, Armenian contract soldier killed at border with Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan blames Armenia for border shelling.

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

Azerbaijan and Armenia exchange POWs

Elizabeth Jabejian
Caucasian Knot, EU
Sept 8 2021

With the support of peacemakers, two soldiers who had been captured near the Black Lake in the Syunik Region have been returned to Armenia from Azerbaijan. One prisoner of war (POW) detained in Nagorno-Karabakh was delivered from Yerevan to Baku.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on July 3, 2021, in exchange for minefield maps in the Fizuli and Zangelan Districts, Azerbaijan returned 15 Armenian POWs; and in June, 15 people were returned in exchange for minefield maps in the Agdam District. On August 9, relatives of the Armenian POWs kept in Azerbaijan, including those convicted, protested outside the building of the Armenian Government.

Azerbaijan has returned two more Armenian POWs – Arthur Nalbandyan and Aramais Torozyan, the “News.am” reports. They got lost in the Syunik Region of Armenia on July 14.

The Armenian militaries were exchanged for the Azerbaijani soldier, Djamil Babaev, who was arrested on August 25 in Martakert for crossing the contact line.

This soldier of the Azerbaijani Army broke into a house in Martakert and threatened minors, the Nagorno-Karabakh Prosecutor’s Office reported on August 26. The soldier had been treated in a mental clinic and escaped from there, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) has explained.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 7, 2021 at 10:09 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Relatives of Armenian POWs demand a meeting with Nikol Pashinyan, Terms for giving out POWs from Azerbaijan spark criticism in Armenia, Azerbaijan hands fifteen detained Armenian militaries over to Armenia.

Author: Armine Martirosyan; Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

Military experts treat exercises of troops of Azerbaijan and Turkey as ordinary

Chmshkian Vicken
Caucasian Knot, EU
Sept 8 2021

Russian military experts, interviewed by the “Caucasian Knot”, suggest that like the manoeuvres of Russian peacekeepers, the joint exercises of the Azerbaijani and Turkish troops in the Lachin District do not pose any threat of an aggravation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on September 6, the joint tactical exercises of the Azerbaijani and Turkish troops with live fire began in the Lachin District, through which the corridor between Yerevan and Stepanakert passes.

The Azerbaijani-Turkish military exercises in the Lachin District are medium-sized and tactical in their nature, and “something similar” had been conducted by the Russian peacekeepers a little earlier, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent was told by Pavel Felgengauer, a military observer of the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta”.

According to the expert, “it is hardly worth expecting” a reaction to the exercises of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the form of the Armenian-Russian exercises. “Russia will not react in any way, because Moscow will not benefit from quarrelling with Baku or Ankara. It is not worth expecting an escalation of the conflict because of the exercises as well,” Pavel Felgengauer explained.

“Russia will not benefit from an armed conflict. Especially the one provoked by some exercises,” military political analyst Alexander Perendjiev believes. “Moscow will not allow anything like that. We (Russia) call for cooperation, drawing up a road map, work to resolve the conflict, and to peace agreements in the future. Russia won’t allow Armenia ‘to take revenge’ and Azerbaijan ‘to flex its muscles’,” Alexander Perendjiev emphasized.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 8, 2021 at 03:07 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

See earlier reports:

Azerbaijan and Turkey conduct military exercises in Lachin District, Military experts treat Azerbaijani and Turkish exercises as related to Karabakh, Shusha Declaration evidences strengthening of Turkey’s role in the Caucasus.

Author: Oleg Krasnov; Source: CK correspondent

Source: 
© Caucasian Knot

Sports: Lichtenstein hold Armenia to 1-1 draw in FIFA World Cup qualifier

Emil Lazarian
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 8 2021
September 8, 2021, 22:02

 

Lichtenstein held Armenia to a 1-1 draw in a FIFA World Cup qualifier held in Yerevan.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened the score shortly before the end of the first half from a penalty kick.

Lichtenstein ‘s Noah Frick leveled the score in the 80th minute.

Armenia remain second in Group J with 11 points.

Leaders Germany have 12 points and will face Iceland later today.