Karabakh's Previous Leader Files Lawsuit against Yerevan over His Own Abolition Decree
In a recent development, Samvel Shahramanyan, the former president of Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh), has filed a lawsuit against the Armenian Education Ministry and author Nzhdeh Hovesepyan. The lawsuit stems from a 9th grade history textbook section that suggests Shahramanyan signed a decree dissolving the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in 2023.
The controversy began in September 2023 when Shahramanyan, then president of Nagorno-Karabakh, issued a decree ordering the dissolution of the region. This decree was published by the Nagorno-Karabakh Info Centre, an official government source. However, the decree was later declared invalid by Shahramanyan after he moved to Armenia.
The decree stipulated that the republic would be dissolved by 1 January 2024, following what Shahramanyan described as a last Azerbaijani attack on the region and a threat of massacre of the population. The decree, according to Shahramanyan, had no legal force.
Former MPs from Nagorno-Karabakh convened a session to regulate the issue of the president's continued tenure through legislative amendments. However, these efforts were met with resistance, as Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party called the move of the former MPs 'extremely unacceptable'.
Despite not having adopted such a decree, Shahramanyan claimed in his refutation that Nagorno-Karabakh published information on the adoption of the decree. He also accused the Nagorno-Karabakh Info Centre, the source of the published decree, of spreading false information. The Centre, however, is no longer available.
Shahramanyan has requested the court to obligate the ministry and the author to publicly refute the information. He further proposed replacing the declaration with a decree adopted by him in response to Azerbaijan's insistence.
It is important to note that Shahramanyan continues to perform presidential duties as of September 2025, including official visits and public statements. The refutation provided by Shahramanyan appears to contradict itself, adding to the complexity of the situation.
The region of Nagorno-Karabakh had been under a nine-month blockade by Azerbaijan prior to the assault that led to the issuance of the decree. Armenian officials have been hostile to proposals for a Nagorno-Karabakh government in exile based in Armenia, further complicating the political landscape.
This lawsuit marks a significant development in the ongoing dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh's future and the interpretation of historical events. The court's decision will likely have implications for the region's political and educational landscape.
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