Category: 2023

Holocaust education commissions, museums and nonprofit organizations that receive federal and/or state-level funding have played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the horrors of the Holocaust but sometimes overlook other genocides, treating them as mere afterthoughts. Only a few states, such as Rhode Island, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan and California, are truly engaged in conversations about including the study of genocides outside of the Holocaust within state and federally-funded curriculum development and teacher training programs. Moreover, while these commissions and federally-supported institutions focus on Holocaust education, some of them continue to fund and promote deniers of the Armenian Genocide.

Concerns in Tennessee

During a conference I attended this summer in Nashville, Tennessee, I witnessed the misuse of funds allocated to an Armenian Genocide denier. It is worth noting that Tennessee officially acknowledged the Armenian Genocide in 2004 when the governor declared April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. Despite this, the Holocaust Commission of Tennessee repeatedly used state funding to pay for an Armenian Genocide denier to speak at local events and engage with Tennessee educators. Although the individual in question is not widely known as a denier like Guenther Lewy or Justin McCarthy, the commission in Tennessee continues to include her in educational and community programming without showing any remorse.

Personal Encounter

My first encounter with this denier, a Holocaust educator and survivor from Miami, occurred at an event sponsored by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in Miami in 2012. During a small group discussion, she announced that while she recognized the suffering my family had endured, she did not consider it genocide. Appalled by her statement, I promptly notified the program leader and followed up with a letter expressing my concerns. Unfortunately, I received no apologies for the inclusion of a denier in what should have been a safe space. When I later discovered that the same denier from Miami was speaking on behalf of the Holocaust Commission of Tennessee in Nashville, I wrote to the commission and the USHMM expressing my concerns, but I received no response. It filled me with rage that I could not attend a workshop about the Holocaust, an event that resonated with my own family history, without being confronted by Armenian Genocide denial. In a city that witnessed the birth of the Ku Klux Klan, we should have already learned the lesson of not propagating hate.

Ohio’s Inclusive Approach

The following week, I spoke at a two-day conference for educators in Dayton, Ohio. This conference shared some similarities with the one in Nashville, as the organizers attempted to be more inclusive. However, I was the only speaker addressing the Armenian Genocide, and other genocides were not discussed in depth. It was evident that there was some trepidation among the organizers about broaching the topic of the Armenian Genocide. I arrived in Dayton with a sense of anxiety about what to expect.

To my relief, the overall attitude among the organizations involved in the Dayton conference was accepting and gracious. When I spoke about the Armenian Genocide and the importance of being inclusive about human rights atrocities and genocides beyond European borders, I received a positive response from the organizers. They expressed their appreciation for my talk and assured me that next year’s conference would include more discussions about the Armenian Genocide. This experience instilled a sense of hope in me and led me to reflect on the disparity between the indifference of the USHMM and the Tennessee Holocaust Commission towards denial and the willingness of the Ohio groups to engage in a conversation about inclusion.

Collaborative Efforts in Ohio

The positive reception I received in Ohio was not solely due to my lecture but was the result of years of positive relationship building led by Armenian community members, including Ara Bagdasarian and Raz Pounardjian in Cleveland, Ohio. They have collaborated with existing groups to develop and support Armenian Genocide and Holocaust educational initiatives. Through goodwill, funding and collaboration, they have successfully integrated the Armenian Genocide into the work of organizations such as the Holocaust & Genocide Education Network (HGEN), on whose board one Armenian member, Pounardjian, serves. This model has proven effective in Ohio, demonstrating that working in harmony with Holocaust education programs can yield positive outcomes.

Ethical Implications and the Importance of Truth

It is important to remember that Holocaust programs that deny the Armenian Genocide present significant ethical dilemmas. Programs like these undermine the principles of truth, justice and the recognition of historical atrocities. It is ethically unjustifiable to use Holocaust education as a platform for promoting denialism of another genocide. Such actions erode the credibility of Holocaust programs and compromise their moral purpose of combating hatred, discrimination and genocide denial. These programs distort historical truth and perpetuate an environment of misinformation. They hinder the pursuit of accuracy and reconciliation by perpetuating a false narrative that contradicts the historical truth of the Armenian Genocide. By blurring the lines between fact and fiction, these denialist programs contribute to the erosion of historical integrity and impede the development of critical thinking among participants. Finally, Holocaust programs encourage individuals to relate to the experiences of Holocaust victims to foster empathy and understanding among participants. However, by denying the Armenian Genocide, these programs disrupt the empathetic bridge that should exist between victims of different genocides.

A Proactive Approach

Addressing the denial of the Armenian Genocide within Holocaust programs requires a proactive and principled approach. Organizers and educators must confront the ethical implications of denialism and reject any form of genocide denial. Holocaust education should be expanded to include a comprehensive understanding of other genocides, such as the Armenian Genocide, fostering a more inclusive and historically accurate narrative. Collaboration between Holocaust and genocide education groups, as well as scholars and educators, can facilitate the development of joint educational initiatives that acknowledge both genocides.

Conclusion

The presence of Holocaust programs that deny the Armenian Genocide reveals a disheartening disconnect between the intended goals of Holocaust education and the reality of denialism. By denying the Armenian Genocide within these programs, we undermine historical truth, perpetuate misinformation, and erode the empathy and understanding that should be at the core of Holocaust education. It is imperative to confront this issue, rectify the historical narrative and ensure that Holocaust education programs promote truth, justice and empathy for all victims of genocide. The good news is that while some states and national institutions have thus far shown an unwillingness to seek historical truths and promote denialism, other states like Ohio, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan and California are demonstrating clear signs of progress towards inclusion and serve as symbols of hope as we continue to battle the Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide and its insipid corrosion of educational institutions in the US.

Hagopian poses for a photo with her painting and Congresswoman Becca Balint (D-VT). As part of her day on Capitol Hill, Hagopian also had the opportunity to engage in a sit-down meeting with Balint where she not only discussed “Noor of Truth” but also advocated for Balint’s increased involvement in Armenian issues.

Most kids spend their childhoods running around playgrounds, playing dress-up and haphazardly scribbling in coloring books. But from the age of two, Shakeh Hagopian has spent hours a day with her head down, pencil in hand, sketching. When she reached elementary school, her parents became concerned by how much time Shakeh spent consumed by her art, as she devoted up to 16 hours a day to drawing, painting and creating beautiful images. 

While as a child Hagopian was motivated by her love for the artistic process, masterfully drawing animals, flowers and basic landscapes, her art has gradually evolved into a force of powerful activism geared towards the Armenian cause. This month, Hagopian’s artistic activism took her to Capitol Hill, as she was awarded the prestigious Congressional Art Prize for the state of Vermont.  

Hagopian’s award-winning piece “Noor of Truth,” which took three weeks to create, was the product of her frustration with the meager coverage of the blockade of Artsakh in media and government. “I’ve been protesting for years about Artsakh and trying to get it publicized. But this is the one chance that I had to actually speak to politicians through the use of imagery,” Hagopian said. “I decided this was going to be about Artsakh, about Armenia, because no matter how many times I protest outside of the Capitol, I won’t get their attention unless they see it face to face, and they have to talk to me and, you know, they have no other choice,” she stressed.

“Noor of Truth” by Shakeh Hagopian. The Congressional Art Competition-winning painting from Vermont will be displayed at the US Capitol Building for one year.

At just fifteen years old, Hagopian is still in high school, which means all of her time outside of school for those weeks was spent painting. “I’d be painting until 10 p.m., not doing any homework. Nothing. And my grades got so bad. But I was like, ‘Hey, this is worth it,’” she said. To make matters more difficult, Hagopian does not work out of an official art studio. “I don’t really have a studio, so it was very chaotic. It was my bedroom. There’s this giant easel and all my paints and I was inhaling toxic oil paint when I went to sleep. I was that determined […] from time to time I had to paint inside my dad’s workplace […] I had to paint outside in freezing weather,” she shared.

Despite these setbacks, Hagopian persevered. Inspired by both her sister, Kala Hagopian —who won the Congressional Art Prize for her painting “The Last Armenian” in 2002—and her father, Philip Hagopian, a well-known professional painter in Armenia, she poured herself into her work and produced something marvelous. The principal figure in the piece is a depiction of herself, but the primary importance of the work lies inside the pomegranate, or “noor.”

“I wanted a visually pleasing sort of face for the painting so that the viewer’s eyes would be drawn to the painting, but then there’s that hidden element in the corner inside the pomegranate that also just jumps out […] When you look inside the pomegranate, there is a chessboard in the colors of the earth propped up by three skulls that I sculpted myself. And the chessboard […] there’s a reason why it’s in the colors of the earth. It’s got pawns on it, tanks. And it’s supposed to represent a kind of global chessboard, that this is all just sort of a game, all of this politics, all of these wars; it’s all just a game motivated by money, which is why I put a dollar bill in the background,” Hagopian explained. “And there is a mirror inside of the pomegranate. And when you look inside the pomegranate, you’re also seeing yourself in front of the chessboard and the skulls representing Armenian skulls. And suddenly, it goes back to you.”

A closeup look at Shakeh Hagopian’s “Noor” in her “Noor of Truth” painting

All of these details packed inside of one small pomegranate are ultimately meant to serve as a call to action. “It’s supposed to spread this message [that it] all starts with you, like your tax money is funding Azerbaijan. And it’s up to you to stop that. And there are images in the corners that are very hidden of a soldier with a bunch of tombstones behind him, a little boy looking at a tank and a map of ancient historical Armenia and how huge it once was. And I put those in there just to really get the message straight,” Hagopian said.

Hagopian’s success has brought a great victory to Vermont, which thrilled the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Vermont. “The ANC of Vermont is extremely proud of Shakeh. Shakeh’s rare piece of artwork is complex, graceful and hypnotically tantalizing at first glance of the eye, then successfully entices the viewer to understand the passion, pain and resilience that burns in the heart of the artist and in the hearts of all Armenians,” ANC of VT chairperson Pearl A. Bargamian Teague said.

Hagopian’s awe-inspiring piece was so profound that it earned recognition from New York Times best-selling author Chris Bohjalian. He retweeted an image of “Noor of Truth” and captioned the post saying, “Very proud today (all days) to be a Vermonter and an Armenian-American.”

Hagopian’s school art teacher Colleen Flanagan couldn’t be more proud. “Shakeh is a driven and talented artist whose work is not only stunningly executed but is also full of intention. Every aspect of ‘Noor of Truth’ holds meaning to Armenian culture. Shakeh used symbolism as a way to portray these connections that can be seen in the imagery, the colors chosen and in the way the figure, a self-portrait, is positioned […] It is Shakeh’s innate abilities to combine the two aspects of visual art that make visual art outstanding: powerful aesthetics and big ideas that evoke emotion,” Flanagan said.

The ANCA’s Leo Sarkisian, Maral Melkonian, and Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway interns join Shakeh Hagopian and her family for a photo with her award-winning piece. The interns, primarily college students, were able to support Hagopian throughout her big day on the Hill.

Though Hagopian’s art alone demonstrates her dedication to the Armenian cause, she feels that it is not enough and has turned to legislative action, specifically in the realm of education, to ensure that all of her peers understand the atrocities committed against the Armenian people. After discovering at the beginning of this year that her school had no curriculum about the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh, she took matters into her own hands and convinced her world history teacher to allow her to present to her peers.

His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian congratulates Vermont Congressional Art Competition winner Shakeh Hagopian, seen here with her mother, Naira, Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian and ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian.

“I taught the entire sophomore grade history class about the Armenian Genocide and about Artsakh, about 2020, 2022 […] I made this giant Google slideshow presentation about it all. […] I said, ‘Hey, when you get home, go on anca.org’ […] give it as much attention as you guys did with Ukraine,” Hagopian said.

Hagopian’s efforts generated a passionate response from her peers, and students from all over the school came to watch her speak. “Shakeh is really exceptional in her poise, courage and conviction as an advocate for her people. Shakeh’s peers look up to her and she gracefully commands the respect of young people and adults alike.[…] As word got out about how impactful her presentation was, other teachers and students came to my class to sit-in […],” her world history teacher Perry Bellow-Handelman said.

But Hagopian’s teaching efforts did not stop at her school. During the spring, she also delivered her presentation at the Vermont Principals Association, where all Vermont superintendents were present. Moving forward, Bellow-Handelman is hoping to support Hagopian’s mission to increase Armenian Genocide education in Vermont by searching for additional venues where she can speak and will continue to have Hagopian present to her students next year.

Looking to the future, Hagopian wants nothing more than to return to Armenia, where she hopes to attend the American University of Armenia. Though she is uncertain if she will pursue art professionally, she knows that her career will be dedicated to defending Armenia. “I see lots of Armenians idolizing Garegin Nzhdeh and Monte Melkonian, and I always think if we all took on that role ourselves, we could really get Armenia out of this situation, and we have to take that onto ourselves. Each one of us is responsible for the whole world’s condition,” Hagopian said.

In the artist’s words:

Noor of Truth
Oils, Mixed Media
By Shakeh Hagopian
Congressional Art Competition
Winner from Vermont – 2023
Montpelier High School

The purpose of my painting was to bring Armenia-Artsakh’s crisis to both the viewers and the US government’s attention.

I utilized my painting to serve as a reminder to those who pass by my painting in the US Capitol that they are complicit in funding the ethnic cleansing of indigenous Armenians by sending military aid to Azerbaijan.

I accomplished this by subtly implementing images that showcased the tragic fate of Armenia inside a small crevice in the canvas. The viewers would be drawn to the lush 3D pomegranate springing out to speak to the viewer. Inside the pomegranate, I put a chess board in the colors of pawns and military tanks to represent that the crisis Armenia and Artsakh are facing is somewhat of a proxy war. As a result of this proxy war, you can see a pile of skulls I sculpted myself to support the chess board, to show that this geopolitical oil monopoly is at the expense of Armenian lives.

I glued dollar bills to really get my message through that most of this is motivated by greed and the oil business. I also added a small printed map of ancient Armenia and powerful yet tragic images of the Artsakh war’s aftermath.

I tied these elements all together with a mirror inside to interact with the viewer, spreading the important message that this can all be prevented if YOU subverted the government’s rapacity in gaining oil wealth out of what is an existential threat to Armenia.

Many may find my painting visually pleasing, but I did not paint this to win or to have a beautiful piece of art to decorate a wall. I painted this to get an important message across – and it’s up to the average citizen to help accomplish this. Your tax money funds Azerbaijan and Turkey’s military, and it’s contributing to the ethnic cleansing of indigenous Armenians.

Nayiri Shahnazarian and assistant teacher Anie Shahnazarian (right) with their students

On June 10, 2023, the 21 students of the Armenian school of Greater Baltimore took the stage to showcase what they learned throughout the school year. They sang songs, performed dances, recited poems and even presented a play. It was truly remarkable for me to see our students and all of their incredible accomplishments. 

This was my third year as an Armenian school teacher and I absolutely loved it. It’s difficult to put into words how exciting it was week after week to watch the children get to know each other, learn vocabulary words and build bonds within our local Armenian community. Every Saturday, my students surpassed expectations and impressed me with their willingness and yearning to learn. Whether it was catching themselves using a word in English and then switching to Armenian, or sounding out words in Armenian completely on their own, this year I was filled with pride and gratitude to have these children in my life. My students pushed themselves to learn longer, more difficult poems and practiced writing the alphabet. I would hear stories from parents about how seriously the children took their homework, and it showed when they would come back to class the following week ready to show off what they had completed. 

Each year that I am a teacher, I find myself growing and learning more as well. I started taking online private Armenian lessons from a teacher in Armenia in order to improve my own skills and teach my class more effectively. I find myself more confident when I speak, my reading level has improved, and my vocabulary is so much larger than it was before. 

I also was able to connect with a teacher at the Hamasdegh Armenian School located at Soorp Khatch Armenian Church about an hour away from the Baltimore school. We talked about our students, and she offered some tips on how to teach dance to the younger children that I look forward to utilizing. I also realized how much I genuinely love teaching and decided that over the summer I would offer private lessons. I conducted my first two last week. Even in just one hour working with my students one-on-one, I witnessed significant improvement, and there is nothing more joyful than seeing the light bulbs go off in their heads. 

I look forward to the fall when school begins again and am excited to see what new things my students and I will learn together. Armenian school is a gift, and I wouldn’t want to spend my Saturday mornings anywhere else.

If you’re in the Baltimore area and would like more information on our school, please email [email protected], or reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook.

A scene from the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on Artsakh security held on June 21

Former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, former US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Michael Rubin and Columbia University Director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights David Phillips all delivered one clear message to lawmakers leading the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing last week: Artsakh is on the brink of a second Armenian Genocide.

During the two-hour hearing, chaired by Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. James McGovern, with the participation of Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Frank Pallone and Gus Bilirakis, the experts discussed risks that Armenians in Artsakh face in light of a nearly 200-day blockade by Azeri forces along the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor—the only strip of land connecting Artsakh to Armenia. The blockade has left 120,000 indigenous Armenians without food, energy and medicine for seven months. On April 23, Azerbaijan opened a military checkpoint at the corridor—a breach of the November 2020 ceasefire agreement. Fears of a second Armenian Genocide are heightened, and tensions are again rising two and a half years after the six-week war that ended in Armenia’s defeat.

When speaking of President Erdogan of Turkey, Ambassador Brownback stated, “He’s got this pan-Turkic idea of a corridor and the one…sliver of land that stands between him and this pan-Turkic corridor is Armenia.” Thus, the only way to complete his pan-Turkic dream is to eradicate the Armenian people. Chairman Smith later added that creating a pan-Turkey requires the destruction or alteration of cultural legacies. Phillips entreated that America’s values on human rights and genocide prevention “not be traded for hydrocarbons or other concessions to authoritarian leaders.” He highlighted that Azerbaijan’s motivation has been and still is the “cultural erasure of Armenians in violation of the trilateral ceasefire statement.”

Both Amb. Brownback and Rubin had the opportunity to visit Armenia from June 14-16 with the Philos Project, observing firsthand the living conditions of its people. The Philos Project is a nonprofit organization that strives to encourage positive Christian engagement in the Middle East. Led by Philos Project president Robert Nicholson and former Amb. Brownback and attended by Rubin, the trip informed Christian and Jewish leaders of Armenia’s rich history and the threats it faces today. Participants visited various monasteries, spoke with Jermuk residents affected by Azerbaijan’s violence and met with Armenia’s President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

During the hearing, Amb. Brownback said that in Jermuk, “you could see the Azeri forces on the other hill from where we were and the ability of them to just lob artillery into that town at any time […] really reminded me of Sarajevo.” The Philos Project trip also struck a chord with Rubin, who at the hearing declared, “It’s unconscionable to take a democracy like Artsakh and subordinate it to a country that, according to Freedom House, is not only not free, but is actually less democratic than Burma and Russia.” Philos Project president Nicholson emphasized the very real threat of a second genocide, saying that “[Armenia] is the oldest Christian nation facing again for the second time in only about a century the possibility of a genocide.”

During the hearing, Amb. Brownback emphasized that if the United States doesn’t intervene, yet another indigenous Christian population will be forced out of its homeland. He called on Congress to pass the “Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Act,” which would identify the minimum standards to safeguard the security of Armenians in Artsakh. Brownback stated that although Christians in the Middle East have fallen victim to similar attacks in the past, this time the US is supplying Azerbaijan with weaponry that is being used for ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. Azerbaijan’s actions are backed by Turkey, a member of NATO.

Furthermore, Rubin also spoke of the geopolitical history of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia to emphasize the threat Armenians face today. He said, “What Russia is doing right now…is symbolically showing that if you choose democracy—as Azerbaijan flirted with in the 1990s, as Georgia embraced in 2008, and as Armenia embraced in 2018— […] you’re going to lose a third of your territory.” He said the US should reward democracies rather than serve as a puppet for dictatorships like Azerbaijan.

Speaking of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Rep. Frank Pallone said, “He is clearly taking premeditated steps to remove the indigenous Armenian population from Artsakh and depriving them of the opportunity to live freely, democratically, and with dignity in the land of their ancestors, which is a clear sign of…ethnic cleansing.”

Rep. Gus Bilirakis emphasized the importance of heeding lessons from the past and taking action to prevent a second genocide. Various legislation pushed by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has informed members of the US Congress about this crisis, urging them to take action. For example, Rep. Barbara Lee’s letter, signed by 54 Representatives, called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to enforce restrictions on military assistance to Azerbaijan (Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act). Since 2002, Section 907 has been waived, and in the fiscal years 2002-2020, $808 million has been provided to Azerbaijan by the Departments of State, Defense and Energy, as well as the US Agency for International Development. In the hearing, Rep. Bilirakis stated, “While we can’t change the past, we must act now to stop another Armenian Genocide…There’s no justifiable reason to continue this waiver when Azerbaijan has clearly used this equipment to wage an aggressive war against Armenia, commit war crimes against innocent Armenians and enforce the current blockade.”

In the midst of this nearly seven-month blockade of the Berdzor Corridor and ongoing Azeri aggression, we must remain united, strong and resilient. Amb. Brownback spoke of the Armenian people’s resiliency, recounting our history as the first Christian nation that has “been persecuted by multiple empires, over thousands of years (the Persians, the Ottomans, Russians, others), and yet they’re still there. They’re still fighting. And it just inspires you with their tenacity, with their courage, their pluck. Armenia to me…is really kind of the Israel of Christendom, where it stood there so long, and we should stand with them, and we should not allow them to be driven out of this ancient homeland with the use…of US weaponry… we should stand up policy-wise here, and we should stand up compassionately.”  

A scene from the June 21 Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on Artsakh

On June 21, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) held a powerful hearing condemning Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression against Artsakh and urged US action to prevent a second Armenian Genocide in Artsakh. Titled “Safeguarding the People of Nagorno-Karabakh,” the hearing was hosted by Commission co-chairs, Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Congressman James McGovern (D-MA), who were joined by Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ). Witnesses from the hearing were former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, former US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Michael Rubin, and Columbia University Director of the Peace-Building and Rights Program, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, David Phillips.

Following are the five key takeaways from the hearing and relevant US policy recommendations.

1) Enforcing Section 907

Background: Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, adopted in 1992, “bans any kind of direct United States aid to the Azerbaijani government,” citing Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression and blockade of Armenia and Artsakh. In 2001, the presidential waiver clause was adopted by Congress, and it has been waived by US presidents ever since, greenlighting Azerbaijani aggression towards Armenia and Artsakh with the support of US military weapons and American tax dollars.

Policy recommendations: All four witnesses called for the enforcement of Section 907, especially if Azerbaijan does not lift the Artsakh blockade. Notably, Rubin stated that the waiver does not enable diplomacy but rather invites aggression and harms American credibility.

Implications for the Armenian people: With Azerbaijan’s 200+ day blockade continuing with no end in sight, enforcement of Section 907 would send a firm message to the Azerbaijani dictatorship, underscoring that there are consequences for its aggressive and violent actions. It is likely that Azerbaijan and its brother state, Turkey, would rethink their behavior in Artsakh and consider easing their onslaught onto Armenian land through an “environmental protest.”

2) Condemning Azerbaijan’s Blockade of Artsakh’s 120,000 Christian Armenians

Background: Amb. Brownback, who had visited Armenia’s border city Jermuk the week prior to the hearing, described seeing Azerbaijani forces on nearby hills and, consequently, alluded to the pan-Turkic aspirations of the Azerbaijani leaders. Having served as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Brownback noted the religious component of the crisis in the homeland, stating that Armenia, a Christian community in the region, is being suffocated by surrounding Muslim countries attempting to drive Armenians out of their indigenous homes with the use of US weaponry.

Policy recommendations: While condemnation is an important first step in recognizing the genocidal actions of Azerbaijan and Turkey in Artsakh and Armenia, statements become meaningless unless followed by action. Amb. Brownback suggested a bipartisan “Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Act,” which outlines a standard to ensure human rights and security are respected by Azerbaijan. Secondly, he suggested sending a congressional delegation to visit Artsakh, noting that if Azerbaijan blocked such a delegation, it would send  a powerful message to the Biden Administration. Lastly, he urged the broader American faith community to stand for Artsakh to ensure the Christian community in the Caucasus continues to thrive in its ancestral lands. Amb. Evans, previous US Ambassador to Armenia, Congressman Bilirakis, and Rubin suggested halting F-16 sales to Turkey, noting, among other reasons, their use against Artsakh and Armenia in the 2020 war.

Implications for the Armenian people: A condemnation of the blockade alongside tangible punishments to quash Azerbaijan and Turkey’s pan-Turkic aspirations would limit the two nations’ assumed leverage in the region through United States appeasement. As Phillips soundly mentioned during the hearing, Turkey and Azerbaijan only act under duress, so the United States must maintain the pressure, including through sanctions, and veer away from rewarding unstable, authoritarian governments.

3) Preventing a Second Armenian Genocide

Background: Azerbaijan’s ultimate aim in Artsakh, Rubin noted, is to empty the land of its native Armenian population, making life unlivable through the use of physical and psychological attacks. He quoted President Aliyev clearly stating, “Now the great return program for Karabakh is being implemented. Inshallah, there will come a time when we develop a second great return program to greater Azerbaijan… we will drive them away like dogs.” Additionally, Pres. Aliyev’s wife, the vice president of Azerbaijan, has been recorded encouraging Aliyev to prevent the release of Armenian prisoners of war to maintain leverage, despite the November 9, 2020 trilateral agreement.

Policy recommendation: Phillips, Rep. Smith and Rep. Pallone called for national and individual sanctions against Azerbaijan, adding these actions play a critical role in bringing aggressive and expansionist behavior under control.

Implications for the Armenian people: Azerbaijan and Turkey must feel tangible consequences in order to rethink their genocidal policies towards Armenia and Artsakh, especially if they manifest in a shift in standing within the Western world.

4) Sanctioning Azerbaijan

Background: As of April 23, 2023, Azerbaijan added an illegal checkpoint to the Berdzor Corridor, and on June 23, placed concrete blocks along the road, preventing any form of humanitarian aid from being delivered to Artsakh. All Congressmen and witnesses from the hearing warned of the worsening, systematic humanitarian crisis. Since the start of the blockade, Turkey has supported Azerbaijan in this endeavor, and with its NATO membership, utilized its status as a free pass to continue pursuing anti-democratic measures, violating human rights standards and conducting actions against US. interests, noted Phillips.

Policy Recommendations: The Humanitarian Corridors Act, which prohibits funds in the form of foreign assistance from being offered to any country whose government prohibits or restricts the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance, has not been waived. Rubin said US assistance to Azerbaijan should stop immediately. Another suggestion was the enforcement of the Magnitsky Act, which authorizes the US government to sanction foreign government officials who commit human rights abuses by freezing their assets and banning them from entering the US.

Implications for the Armenian people: If the United States claims to be a defender of democracy, it must eliminate double standards that have arisen from abandoning laws in place, such as the Humanitarian Corridors Act, Section 907 and Magnitsky Sanctions. 

5) Protecting Armenian Cultural Heritage

Background: Armenian cultural heritage, both past and present, continues to be decimated by the Turkish and Azerbaijani governments, with examples present in Western Armenia, Nakhichevan and Artsakh. For example, in December of 2021, the International Court of Justice ordered all necessary measures to prevent and punish the desecration and acts of vandalism affecting Armenian cultural heritage. Azerbaijan, ignoring this order, desecrated the 18th century Saint Sargis Church in the fall of 2022 in Artsakh. Citing examples of destruction from the past, Phillips warned that further Azerbaijani occupation risks the elimination of Armenian artifacts and conversions of Armenian churches to mosques.

Policy recommendation: Rubin suggested a 24/7 video monitoring program put in place to ensure the Azerbaijani government is unable to covertly destroy pieces of Armenian cultural history.

Implications for the Armenian people: It is essential to hold Azerbaijan accountable to ensure the survival of Armenian cultural history. To do otherwise would condemn the physical evidence of our past to vanish at the hands of Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Four Artsakh soldiers killed by Azerbaijani forces (Artsakh Ombudsman, June 28)

Four Armenian soldiers were killed today in Artsakh by Azerbaijani forces, according to Artsakh authorities.

In the early morning hours of June 28, Azerbaijani forces opened fire on Artsakh Defense Army positions in Martuni and Martakert, deploying artillery systems and combat drones. Artsakh Defense Army soldiers Armo Abgaryan, Samvel Torosyan, Yervand Tadevosyan and Gagik Balayan were killed, according to the Artsakh Defense Ministry.

The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijan spread “false reports” about a ceasefire violation by Artsakh in order to create an “informational basis for another provocation.” On June 27, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said that its armed forces took “retaliatory measures” after an Azerbaijani soldier was injured in a ceasefire violation.

This is the largest death toll amid frequent reports of ceasefire violations in Artsakh and along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating the ceasefire nearly every day for months. Today’s attacks follow a week of ceasefire violations by Azerbaijani forces against Artsakh soldiers, as well as civilians. 

On June 27, Azerbaijani armed forces launched a mortar in the direction of the Martakert region. Azerbaijani forces previously deployed small arms toward the Martakert, Martuni, Askeran and Shushi regions on June 25, and Martakert, Martuni and Askeran on June 22. Artsakh Defense Army soldier Mher Hakobyan received a gunshot wound in the June 22 attack. 

Azerbaijani forces have also fired on civilians and civilian objects in Artsakh several times in the past week. 

On June 25, 22-year-old Mikayel Mezhlumyan was fired on while working with a tractor near Myurishen village in Martuni. That same day, Azerbaijani forces fired on a tractor in the Avdur village of Martuni.

On June 22, the roof of a house belonging to Zori Arakelyan, a resident of Chankatagh village in Martakert, was damaged by Azerbaijani fire. Azerbaijani forces also fired on a tractor in the Chartar village in Martuni that day. 

A coalition of all of the parties in the Artsakh parliament released a joint statement on June 28 urging the Armenian delegation conducting negotiations on an Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty in Washington to immediately halt talks. It said the negotiations should not continue “until the establishment of a full ceasefire on the line of contact with Artsakh and the borders of Armenia.” 

“Otherwise, the continuation of negotiations will mean encouraging the aggressive behavior of the Azerbaijani side and privilege at the international level,” the statement reads. 

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Washington this week for three days of talks mediated by the U.S. scheduled to end on June 29. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov held separate meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the first day of negotiations on June 27. 

“We support Armenia and Azerbaijan working together toward a durable and dignified agreement. Dialogue is key to lasting peace,” Blinken tweeted on June 27. 

Mirzoyan and Bayramov previously met in Washington for marathon talks from May 1-4 to negotiate a peace deal titled “Agreement on normalization of relations.” American and Azerbaijani leaders struck an optimistic tone after the talks, stating that significant progress was made on a peace deal. Armenian authorities, however, said that disagreements remained on fundamental issues. Namely, Azerbaijan has not agreed to the creation of an international mechanism to oversee talks between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, which would include Azerbaijani control over Artsakh. He has also called for direct talks between Baku and Stepanakert, overseen by an international mechanism, and special guarantees for the rights and security of the Armenian population of Artsakh. Azerbaijan has so far rejected these measures, insisting that talks between Azerbaijan and Artsakh are a domestic matter.

During an interview with Reuters published on June 23, Bayramov said that special guarantees for the rights and security of Artsakh Armenians are unnecessary. He said that the Armenians of Artsakh would be subject to the same constitutional principles and international conventions as ethnic and religious minorities in Azerbaijan.

Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus at the International Crisis Group Olesya Vartanyan said that the outcome of the talks largely depends on Azerbaijan’s position moving forward. “Azerbaijan is undoubtedly aware that a mass exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh driven by fear and uncertainty would result in substantial global repercussions, potentially impeding the country in various ways,” Vartanyan said in an analysis for openDemocracy. “By heeding international appeals and entering the talks with Stepanakert, Baku can reassure Armenians that they would have a chance to continue living in Nagorno-Karabakh.” 

In response to the June 28 escalation, Pashinyan warned of a “high risk of destabilization” in the region. “Urging international community to take practical steps to ensure rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh people. Meanwhile Lachin Corridor remains illegally blocked, tonight as result of Azerbaijani attack with use of UAVs there are four casualties,” Pashinayn tweeted.

Azerbaijan has blockaded the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor, the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the outside world, since December 2022, leading to critical shortages of food and medical supplies. Since June 15, Azerbaijan has tightened the blockade by prohibiting humanitarian shipments, which had been delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Russian peacekeepers. 

The ICRC had also been prevented from transporting medical patients awaiting treatment from Artsakh to Armenia. On June 24, Russian peacekeepers transported a one-year-old child diagnosed with acute hemorrhagic encephalitis by helicopter to a medical center in Armenia. The ICRC resumed the transfer of medical patients to Armenia by ambulance on June 28. 

Government-backed Azerbaijani protesters posing as eco-activists had closed the Berdzor Corridor from December 12, 2022 to April 23, 2023. They ended their protest after Azerbaijan set up a military checkpoint at the entrance to the corridor from Armenia, placing movement along the corridor completely under the control of Azerbaijani border guards. On June 23, Artsakh authorities published a video reportedly showing Azerbaijani guards installing concrete barricades along the corridor.