By Zhanna Avagyan
Thousands of displaced people from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and others rallied at Freedom Square in Yerevan on March 29, presenting a series of demands to both the Armenian government and international community. The demonstration, organized by the Council for the Protection of the Rights of Artsakh People, focused on their right of return and the need for continued social assistance.
“If we left our homeland under the threat of physical extermination, it does not mean that we have renounced our right to return,” declared Gegham Stepanyan, former Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, addressing the crowd. “The right of return is not some fairy tale; it is a right that is enshrined and must be protected.”
In September 2023, after a nine-month blockade, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing around one hundred thousand Armenians to flee their homes. Most settled in Armenia, joining approximately 40,000 others who had been displaced earlier from areas occupied by Azerbaijan after the 2020 war.
Stepanyan emphasized that the rally’s primary purpose was to advocate for fundamental rights, not merely social benefits. “If anyone tries to characterize this as just a struggle for social assistance, they simply lack basic morality and human empathy,” he stated, though acknowledging that such support remains vital. “The cessation of this assistance would have disastrous consequences, condemning thousands of families to homelessness and poverty and pushing them to emigrate.”
Earlier this month, Yerevan and Baku announced they have agreed on the final points of a peace deal, which includes dissolving the OSCE Minsk Group mediation format for Karabakh conflict resolution and removing EU observers along Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan. Notably, the document makes no mention of the right of return for displaced Karabakh Armenians or refers to Nagorno-Karabakh at all, despite the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh has been central to the decades-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“Our main message to both Armenian authorities and international actors is clear: no one has the right to make decisions regarding the fate of Artsakh people without consulting us,” Stepanyan declared.
The demonstrators presented a 12-point petition to the Armenian government. Their demands include pursuing the collective right of return in accordance with the November 2023 decision of the UN International Court of Justice, continuing to address housing and social needs until return becomes possible, organizing an international donor conference focused on Artsakh refugees, protecting Artsakh’s cultural heritage and private property interests, including legitimate representatives of Artsakh people in all relevant policy decisions, and continuing international legal claims against Azerbaijan.
Rally organizers also emphasized the plight of at least 23 Armenian hostages still held in Azerbaijan, including former Artsakh leaders who, according to protesters, face what they describe as fabricated trials.
The Council for the Protection of the Rights of Artsakh People announced they would maintain their presence at Freedom Square and hold a press conference Monday at noon to outline next steps in their campaign.
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