14:49, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) haven’t yet visited Rashid Beglaryan, the Nagorno-Karabakh resident arrested by Azerbaijan, ICRC Armenia communications manager Zara Amatuni told ARMENPRESS.

Amatuni added that they are following the case and are taking relevant steps through dialogue within the framework of the ICRC powers to ensure certain progress in this issue.

Speaking about Vagif Khachatryan, the other man from Nagorno-Karabakh who’s also under arrest in Azerbaijan, Amatuni said that the ICRC visited him on July 29, the day of his arrest.

 “Our delegates, including our doctor, visited Vagif Khachatryan in Baku in accordance with our procedures, to get information on his condition, check his state of health and review the detention conditions,” Amatuni added.

The Nagorno-Karabakh authorities had initially announced that Rashid Beglaryan, a resident of Nagorno-Karabakh, accidentally crossed into Azerbaijani-held territory while intoxicated and was subsequently arrested on August 1. However, the Nagorno-Karabakh prosecutor’s office later said that Beglaryan was actually kidnapped by Azerbaijani servicemembers while walking towards Armenia.

The other arrested Nagorno-Karabakh resident, 68-year-old Vagif Khachatryan, was kidnapped by Azerbaijani border guards during his ICRC-facilitated medical evacuation to Armenia through the blockaded Lachin Corridor on July 29. 

Khachatryan faces fabricated war crime charges in Azerbaijan.

On August 2, prominent Armenian attorney Siranush Sahakyan ruled out due process in Azerbaijan regarding Vagif Khachatryan. She said that the kidnapping of Vagif Khachatryan by Azerbaijan constitutes extraordinary rendition in terms of international law.

The Nagorno-Karabakh resident’s kidnapping has been condemned by the Armenian foreign ministry as a war crime.

Vagif Khachatryan’s daughter revealed earlier this week that the Azeri border guards threatened the ICRC staff with force at the illegal checkpoint in Lachin Corridor. She denied the charges against her father and asked for international support to achieve his release.

 15:08, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan instructed on Thursday to strengthen control over the smoking ban in public food businesses.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, he emphasized that in many cases the smoking ban gets ignored.  

“Our goal is not to hand out fines, our goal is to make people stop smoking. Owners and employees should also be held responsible so that they do not allow smoking,” Pashinyan said, adding that the objective is to create the ‘most uncomfortable conditions’ for smokers.

In turn, Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan said that from January 1, 2023 until today, a total of 7,186 administrative protocols have been issued for violating the smoking ban, of which 790 were in public food places.

 15:40, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Vagif Khachatryan, the 68-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh man who was kidnapped by Azerbaijani authorities during his ICRC-facilitated medical evacuation to Armenia through the blockaded Lachin Corridor, has been questioned as part of fabricated criminal proceedings in Azerbaijan.

Khachatryan was taken to a hospital after his arrest, the Azerbaijani APA news agency reported.

“He was examined by doctors regarding his health. After the medical examination, he was provided with a lawyer and a translator. Charges against Vagif Khachatryan were announced and preliminary interrogation was held. Currently, other investigative measures are being taken in connection with him,” Ilgar Safarov, Senior Assistant to the prosecutor general on special assignments, told APA in an interview. 

Khachatryan faces fabricated war crime charges in Azerbaijan.

On August 2, prominent Armenian attorney Siranush Sahakyan ruled out due process in Azerbaijan regarding Vagif Khachatryan. She said that the kidnapping of Vagif Khachatryan by Azerbaijan constitutes extraordinary rendition in terms of international law.

The Nagorno-Karabakh resident’s kidnapping has been condemned by the Armenian foreign ministry as a war crime.

Vagif Khachatryan’s daughter revealed earlier this week that the Azeri border guards threatened the ICRC staff with force at the illegal checkpoint in Lachin Corridor. She denied the charges against her father and asked for international support to achieve his release.

 15:44, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. The representatives of the UN office in Armenia visited on Thursday the border section of Kornidzor, the entrance of Lachin Corridor, where the convoy of trucks trying to transport humanitarian aid from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh remains blocked for the ninth day.

On August 2, candy-producer Grand Candy sent two trucks loaded with confectionaries to join the 19 trucks of the convoy.

The representatives of the UN office in Armenia were briefed on the situation on the ground, after which Nanna Skau, acting resident coordinator of the UN in Armenia, gave a short press briefing, during which she first read the UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ latest statement regarding the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

“Unfortunately, at this point I cannot go beyond the statement…,” Nanna Skau said.  “We do expect the statement issued will hopefully lead to some positive results,” she added.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.

Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 25, the Government of Armenia said that it will try to send over 360 tons of flour, cooking oil, sugar, and other foodstuffs and medication to Nagorno-Karabakh to mitigate the humanitarian crisis resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor. Armenia requested the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to escort the aid but Azerbaijan has blocked the convoy at the entrance of the Lachin Corridor.

 17:03, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, 3 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 3 August, USD exchange rate down by 0.68 drams to 386.18 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 2.37 drams to 422.25 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.04 drams to 4.11 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 6.05 drams to 488.32 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 79.82 drams to 24139.14 drams. Silver price down by 1.84 drams to 303.07 drams.

 17:12, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Central Electoral Commission (CEC) Chairman Vahagn Hovakimyan, who was a member of Civil Contract party before his appointment, has said that he will ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the 2023 Yerevan City Council elections.

Hovakimyan talked about this during a press conference held on August 3, addressing the issue of whether he will be able to ensure free, fair and transparent elections of the Yerevan City Council, which will be held on September 17, taking into account the fact that before becoming the Chairman of the CEC, he was a member of the ruling party.

“Yes, I can, because before being a member of the Civil Contract party, I was a journalist, and for many years my activity was dedicated to free, fair, transparent, competitive elections. Being a party member does not mean being a criminal, because failure to fulfill one’s duties as a CEC Chairman would be a crime. I can and will ensure that the elections in Armenia are free, fair and transparent,” he said.

 17:21, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. On August 3, the UN Security Council will hold an open debate on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity at the UN headquarters in New York, during which Armenia will present the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Head of the Department of Multilateral Policy and Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Davit Knyazyan has said at a press briefing.

“Of course, the topic is completely relevant for our situation, and the Armenian side will make a speech presenting the situation,” said Knyazyan. “We will use all available tools in all international instances to secure the reopening of Lachin Corridor. There are many such tools, we consistently use them and implement them as needed, the purpose of which is to strengthen the international pressure on Azerbaijan, which is already happening,” he emphasized.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahe Gevorgyan will deliver a speech at the debate.

As a result of Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is deteriorating day by day. The 120,000 population of Nagorno-Karabakh is deprived of supplies of essential goods: food, medicine, fuel. Azerbaijan also cut off gas and electricity supply to Nagorno-Karabakh.

[see video]

 18:27, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. The visits of the representatives of the international community are aimed at showing the real situation in the Lachin Corridor and debunking the fake news by the Azerbaijani government claiming that the corridor is open, Davit Knyazyan, the Head of the Department of Multilateral Policy and Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, told ARMENPRESS.

“This is highly important in order to show that Azerbaijan’s claims that the corridor is open are untrue, and that Azerbaijan is not implementing the binding obligations stipulated under international humanitarian law and the well-known rulings of the International Court of Justice.  As you can see, today we organized the visit of representatives of the UN Armenia office to Kornidzor, so that they ascertain with their own eyes that Azerbaijan has imposed a total blockade against Nagorno-Karabakh with all subsequent consequences which we are witnessing today,” Knyazyan said.

He said that the foreign ministry has great expectations that international pressure on Azerbaijan will allow to reopen the Lachin Corridor and deliver the humanitarian aid.

“We have positive developments in this regard. There’ve been numerous statements from the EU, the Council of Europe, most recently the UN and partner countries. The issue is widely covered by the international press. We continue to work to strengthen the international community’s pressure on Azerbaijan, to achieve our goal, which is exclusively humanitarian,” he added.

The visit of international partners also allowed debunking the Azerbaijani fake news accusing Armenia of preparing a provocation, Knyazyan said.

“There’s no such threat, the humanitarian convoy trucks are parked at a safe distance, and the Armenian side has properly notified the Russian peacekeeping forces on its request, and through them also the Azerbaijani side in advance, prior to the convoy arriving here. The fact that the cargo is here for over a week and there hasn’t been a chance to transport it shows Azerbaijan’s destructive approach and its genocidal policy of subjecting the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing,” Knyazyan said.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.

Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 25, the Government of Armenia said that it will try to send over 360 tons of flour, cooking oil, sugar, and other foodstuffs and medication to Nagorno-Karabakh to mitigate the humanitarian crisis resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor. Armenia requested the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to escort the aid but Azerbaijan has blocked the convoy at the entrance of the Lachin Corridor.