Three additional Armenians arrested at the Lachin border checkpoint run by Azerbaijan
Revised Article:
In a tense turn of events, three young men of Armenian descent, hailing from the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, were apprehended by Azerbaijani forces as they traversed the Lachin corridor towards Armenia on August 28.
These individuals were part of a larger group of approximately 170 Karabakh residents being escorted by Russian peacekeepers en route to Armenia that day. The Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office accused them of desecrating state symbols and inciting hatred.
Local media outlets reported that the trio were affirmed members of a Martuni football team, known for stepping on an Azerbaijani flag in a 2021 video release.
Subsequent reports disclosed that the criminal charges against the three men were dropped due to their tender age, heartfelt remorse, and adherence to legal procedures. They were to serve a 10-day detention spell and subsequently be expelled from Azerbaijan, as per APA news agency.
The Office of Human Rights Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh identified the three as Alen Sargsyan, Vahe Hovsepyan, and Levon Grigoryan, asserting that they are all students attending educational institutions in Armenia.
The detention of these three young men stirred up memories of the July 29 arrest of 68-year-old Vagif Khachatryan, a veteran of the First Karabakh War, who was implicated by Azerbaijan for alleged war crimes. Mr. Khachatryan remains imprisoned in Baku.
In a fiery statement, the Karabakh Ombudsman denounced the checkpoint as a tool for enforcing Azerbaijani tyranny, used to arbitrarily seize and deprive civilians of their freedom.
The arrest of the three young men raises apprehensions among Karabakh Armenians, as they fear their entire male population may become susceptible to Azerbaijani prosecution — a magnified endeavor to assert control over the entire region.
The vast majority of Nagorno-Karabakh's adult male population has links to the local army, either having fought in the first or second war, or serving their compulsory military service at 18.
Following the news of the young men's detention, protests flared up spontaneously in the de facto capital city of Stepanakert and Martuni, demanding clarification. Moreover, on August 28, the de facto president of Karabakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, led a six-hour Security Council session at the National Assembly while protests escalated outside the building.
Issues discussed during the meeting included the fate of the arrested men, as well as potential solutions to alleviate the escalating humanitarian crises the population has been experiencing since mid-June. Addressing demands from certain protesters for his resignation, Harutyunyan reportedly stated, "Today, the question was also up for discussion: Should I be President? Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, we will decide everything in private, and if necessary, I shall step down."
Discontent toward the current de facto government in Nagorno-Karabakh has been gradually escalating over the past 8.5 months, owing to the persistent Azerbaijani blockade, which turned near-total in mid-June, though some easing occurred in mid-August.
Despite the ongoing blockade, the local population refuses aid from Azerbaijan, which has led to food shortages and other necessities having increased the miscarriage rate, as well as deaths from malnutrition. In late July, Baku prevented an Armenian government convoy from transporting 360 tons of humanitarian goods across the border into Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan has offered to provide aid via its territory, a proposal supported by the EU and Russia but strongly opposed by the local population, who view it as a means to legitimate the blockade and subjugate them. On August 29, Baku unilaterally dispatched a convoy of Red Crescent vehicles to Nagorno-Karabakh, reportedly carrying 40 tons of humanitarian goods. However, the Karabakh authorities have declined to accept it.
"If the Azerbaijani authorities sincerely aim to eradicate the dire humanitarian crisis afflicting the people of Artsakh and halt the ongoing genocide, they should not pretend at benevolence but simply permit the resumption of supplies to Artsakh through the Lachin corridor, as per the November 9, 2020 agreement, and the international court's decisions," as Lusine Avanesyan, press officer of Karabakh's president, asserted.
Context Insight:The ongoing conflict and recent history between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh are marked by continued tension and unresolved issues, including displacement, humanitarian crises, and border tensions. The peace agreement signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan failes to adequately address the root causes of these tensions, leaving numerous unresolved issues - notably, the humanitarian crisis and disputes surrounding the displaced Armenian population.
- The incident involving the three Armenian students and the allegations of desecrating state symbols and inciting hatred brings memories of the controversial arrest of Vagif Khachatryan, a war veteran, adding to the existing political tension between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
- As the arrest of the young men stirs apprehensions among Karabakh Armenians about the entire male population becoming vulnerable to Azerbaijani prosecution, it further exacerbates the ongoing discontent toward the current de facto government in Nagorno-Karabakh.
- The humanitarian crisis experienced by Nagorno-Karabakh's population has worsened due to persistent Azerbaijani blockades, resulting in food shortages, increased miscarriage rate, and deaths from malnutrition, necessitating urgent international intervention.
- In light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis, it is crucial for both Azerbaijan and the international community to prioritize resuming supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachin corridor and respecting international court decisions, rather than using aid as a means to legitimate the blockade and exert control.
