12:52,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. State bodies must take appropriate measures to protect the rights of those arbitrarily arrested by Azerbaijan, PM Nikol Pashinyan has said.

“Azerbaijan is carrying out arbitrary arrests [of persons] outside the Hakari bridge checkpoint. This is an extremely concerning fact. Our state bodies must take appropriate steps in all such cases to protect the rights of arbitrarily arrested persons, including in international platforms,” the PM said.

This issue must be on the agenda of the Armenian government for as long as it’s not properly addressed, Pashinyan said.

 13:00,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. A fuel truck of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh has crashed on the Shushi-Lachin road, according to the Azerbaijani APA news agency.

The 8-ton fuel truck overturned and caused a fire.

Two vehicles, a Hummer and Mercedes, belonging to Armenians, caught fire as a result.

No casualties were reported.

 13:08,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. A senior government official has explained what the ratification of the Rome Statute (the treaty that established the International Criminal Court) by Armenia would mean in the event of Russian president Vladimir Putin visiting the country after the move.

Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia’s Representative on International Legal Affairs, was asked on the possible enforcement of the ICC arrest warrant for Putin.

Kirakosyan said that heads of state have immunity.

“I don’t think there can be talk of arrest. The solutions which are based on paragraph 2, article 96 of the Rome Statute have been proposed to our Russian partners. It implies the signing of a bilateral agreement, which allows to create certain guarantees for the concerns that some partner countries might have. The text was presented months ago, we are waiting for our partners’ proposal,” Kirakosyan said.

The Armenian government on September 1 sent the Rome Statute to parliament for ratification.

A parliamentary committee approved the bill on September 28 and the ratification bill will be debated at a plenary session.

In 2022, the Pashinyan Administration explained that it seeks to join the Rome Statute because it would allow to hold the government of Azerbaijan to account for its aggressions against Armenia.

On 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, after an investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine.

The ICC arrest warrant for Putin accuses the Russian leader of unlawfully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children, a war crime. This has been denied by the Russian government.

Countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute would have to enforce the arrest warrant once Putin travels into their territory.

 13:38,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The 2024 state budget will preliminary allocate a total of10 billion drams for the forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh, finance minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

“We are approving the budget in an environment when we have tens of thousands of forcibly displaced refugees, whom we must take or of, and ensure their dignified accommodation in the mid-term. Not having a concrete number on the forcibly displaced at this moment, we are defining a clear point in the state budget, preliminarily envisaging 10 billion drams, with the possibility of increasing it as needed,” Hovhannisyan said at the 2024 budget discussion.

 15:11,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani authorities will hold their third meeting in Yevlakh in the coming days, according to Azerbaijani media. 
The first meeting took place last week, again in Yevlakh, followed by another meeting on Monday in Ivanyan (Khojaly). 

 15:14,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia will allocate 555 billion drams in 2024 to the Ministry of Defense, 37,7 billion drams or 7,3% more than in 2023, finance minister Vahe Hovhannisyan said at the Cabinet meeting while presenting the 2024 budget plan.

The 2024 budget of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures will comprise 311,6 billion drams. Hundreds of kilometers of roads, small and medium sized water reservoirs will be constructed, among other works.

The Ministry of Economy’s 2024 budget will be 92 billion drams, which is 41,9% more than in 2023.

745 billion will be allocated to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (14% increase).

The Ministry of Healthcare budget in 2024 will be 18,4% higher, at 168 billion.

345 billion drams will be allocated to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (38% increase).

The draft budget was approved at the Cabinet meeting.

 15:35,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Brad Sherman has called on the Biden Administration to sanction Azerbaijan amid its ongoing ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The ethnic cleansing of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] is unfolding before our eyes as Armenians flee their home of +2000 years. Azerbaijan’s arrest of Artsakh’s leaders sends a message to Armenian residents – you’re next. Ruben Vardanyan & all who have been unjustly arrested must be released.

“The Biden Admin. must publicly tell Azerbaijan: end this now or face sanctions. Last week Rep. Chris Smith & I introduced H.R.5686 to sanction Azerbaijan for its war crimes in Artsakh. This is the 21st century – the U.S. cannot turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing,” Sherman said on X.

 16:02,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Adam Schiff on September 28 said he’s introducing a new resolution that seeks suspension of U.S. aid to Azerbaijan amid its ‘horrific aggression’ against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

“Amid Azerbaijan’s horrific aggression against Artsakh [NK] & Armenia, and the ethnic cleansing taking place, I’m introducing another resolution that I hope will lead to the suspension of U.S. aid to Baku. No matter what our diplomats say, if the money to the regime continues, so will its violence,” Schiff said on X.

 16:31,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention has warned that Ruben Vardanyan’s detention by Azerbaijani authorities poses a very high risk of torture and extrajudicial execution or a show trial.

The detention, killing, and disappearance of elites is a common act of genocide, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention said in a statement on X.

It called on Russia, the US and other world leaders to demand Vardanyan’s safe passage out of Azerbaijan.

“The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the breaking news of the arrest and detention of former Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] State Minister Ruben Vardanyan by Azerbaijan’s State Border Service. Vardanyan, an outspoken advocate for Artsakh’s right to self-determination, is particularly hated by Azerbaijan. His detention poses a very high risk of torture and extrajudicial execution or a show trial. He and other current and former members of the Artsakh government and self-defense army have been branded as “separatists” and “terrorists,” categories that states use to justify illegal detention and murder. Concern for the life and safety of Vardanyan is especially warranted given the treatment that Armenian POWs have received in Azerbaijani captivity since 2020. They have been tortured, humiliated, murdered, disappeared, and subjected to show trials. This is well documented. Russia and the United States as well as all other world leaders must demand Vardanyan’s safe passage out of Azerbaijan and must ensure that other members of the Artsakh government, as well as members of the Artsakh Defense Army, are also allowed to leave. We remind the world that the detention, killing, and disappearance of elites is a common act of genocide,” the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention said in the statement.

 16:37,

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The number of forcibly displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh who have crossed into Armenia reached 70,500 as of 14:00, September 28.

The intensity of the influx hasn’t decreased, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan said at a press conference.

50,866 of the 70,500 have already been registered, while the registration process of the rest is in process.

Approximately 1000 people are registered and taken care of every hour.