Weekly update
25 September
The need for guaranteeing traffic via the Kapan-Goris road and efforts for regulating transport shipments as a result of agreements on new demarcations in Syunik province have become of double importance for both Iran and Armenia, the Iranian embassy in Armenia said in response to an inquiry of Armenpress, referring to the obstacles facing Iranian cargo truck drivers on the Kapan-Goris road caused by the Azerbaijani authorities in areas under their control, such as checkpoints and charging of duties. The Iranian embassy added that clarifications made by Armenian government officials give great hopes around the swift development of the alternative bypass through Tatev, and that Iran is hopeful that in the nearest future they will witness the opening of a road with safe infrastructure. At the same time, the Iranian side expects that before the opening of the alternative road, traffic via the current road will resume normally.
https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1064015.html
24 September
Armenia believes that the process of delimitation and demarcation of a disputable section on the border with Azerbaijan should be carried out with participation of international observers, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a video address at the General Debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly on Friday, Tass.com reports. "I must state with regret that it is difficult to imagine a border delimitation process on the backdrop of almost daily shootings and various provocations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border," he said. "To overcome this situation, we have suggested the following actions: In the above-mentioned section, the armed forces of both Armenia and Azerbaijan should withdraw simultaneously to the Soviet times border, international observers would be deployed along that border and under international auspices we would start delimitation and demarcation. We are ready to implement this proposal at any time."
https://tass.com/world/1342179
23 September
The House of Representatives of the US Congress demands Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian military and civilians who continue to remain in captivity after the end of the second Karabakh war. According to jam-news.net, the House of Representatives approved an amendment to the law presented by Congressmen Adam Schiff, Tony Cardenas and Brad Sherman. It says that all Armenian prisoners who continue to be held in Azerbaijan must be returned in accordance with the requirements of international law and the Geneva Conventions. “Despite its obligations under the Geneva Conventions and the statement of November 9 [document on the cessation of hostilities in Karabakh, signed by the heads of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia – JAMnews], the Azerbaijani government continues to detain about 200 Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees, distorting the status of these people to justify their being in captivity”, says the document, published on the website of the House of Representatives.
https://jam-news.net/us-congress-demands-azerbaijan-to-release-all-armenian-prisoners-of-war/
22 September
The Standing Committee on Defense and Security of the Armenian parliament on Wednesday refused to appoint lawmaker Artur Ghazinyan from the opposition Armenia faction as its deputy chairman for the fourth time. In line with panorama.am the ruling faction MPs of the committee again voted against his candidacy. Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the committee, said that within five days the committee will again hold a special meeting, not forgetting about other issues on the agenda. It’s worth noting that the voting was held without the participation of the opposition lawmakers, since they had earlier left the hall, considering the discussion “pointless”. “The authorities cannot force the opposition to change its decision. It is not appropriate, to say the least. Questions have been asked, answers have been given, speeches have been made and the candidate has been introduced three times. I have nothing new to say,” Ghazinyan said before leaving the room. “Accordingly, all the responsibility lies with you, make your decision and announce it. Thank you, I'm leaving,” he noted. The other opposition MPs also followed suit.
https://www.panorama.am/en/news/2021/09/22/Artur-Ghazinyan/2569555
21 September
The 30th anniversary of Armenia’s independence is a bittersweet one. On the one hand, marking 30 years of independence is a source of pride and a reaffirmation of Armenia’s right to self-determination. According to asbarez.com on the other hand, the current realities plaguing and jeopardizing Armenia’s sovereignty makes one wonder whether our homeland’s fragile independence is threatened. Soon after the 29th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, our enemies—Azerbaijan and Turkey—launched full throttle attack on Artsakh, as a result of which thousands of Armenian soldiers and civilians were killed and territories in Artsakh were being surrendered to Azerbaijan. Today, a similar scenario is playing out on Armenia’s borders, where Azerbaijani forces have set up positions in the Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces, while simultaneously attacking regions in the Ararat Province border Nakhichevan. Armenia’s authorities, on the other hand, are advancing a nebulous policy of “peace in the region,” and advancing the notion of opening borders with Azerbaijan and engaging in dangerous negotiations with Turkey to normalize relations—all forced upon Yerevan by Armenia’s “strategic ally,” Russia.
https://asbarez.com/editorial-a-milestone-anniversary-at-a-time-when-independence-is-in-jeopardy/
20 September
The Armenian Bar Association has submitted its Third Report to the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, to bring to continue to document the serious and worsening developments in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), reported armradio.am. The Third Report focuses on the numerous ways in which Azerbaijan has curtailed, and continues to curtail, the rights of Armenian-Christians to exercise their religion freely in their ancestral lands which Azerbaijan seized control of less than one year ago. The pattern of Azerbaijan’s conduct documented in this report includes: 1. Eliminating physical security for Armenians in Azerbaijani-occupied territories. 2. Blocking access of religious sites to Armenian-Christian pilgrims. 3. Intimidating clergy by isolating, harassing, and subjecting them to inhumane conditions. 4. Inhibiting access to foreign nationals of Armenian descent seeking to conduct religious pilgrimages. 5. Changing the character of Armenian religious sites, without seeking participation or input of the Armenian Apostolic Church. 6. Continuing destruction of religious sites that connect Armenians to the lands including churches and cemeteries.
https://en.armradio.am/2021/09/20/report-on-azerbaijans-violation-of-armenians-religious-rights-in-artsakh-submitted-to-un-special-rapporteurs/
19 September
The Republic of Armenia on Thursday initiated proceedings against the Republic of Azerbaijan at the International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ top judicial organ, over alleged violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) by Azerbaijani authorities. In line with jurist.org, in its application, Armenia contended that “for decades, Azerbaijan has subjected Armenians to racial discrimination” and that as a result of such State-sponsored Armenian hatred, Armenians have been subjected to systemic discrimination, mass killings, torture and other abuse. Armenia also alleged that these violations were directed at individuals of Armenian ethnic or national origin regardless of their actual nationality. Armenia further claimed that such practices were enacted following Azerbaijan’s aggression toward the Republic of Artsakh and Armenia in September 2020, during which Azerbaijan committed grave violations of the ICERD. It also contended that even after the end of hostilities, following a ceasefire which entered into effect on 10 November 2020, “Azerbaijan continued to engage in the murder, torture and other abuse of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons,” and that Azerbaijan has continued to systematically destroy, erase and falsify Armenian cultural heritage in the region.
https://www.jurist.org/news/2021/09/armenia-commences-proceedings-against-azerbaijan-over-persecution-and-rights-violations/
18 September
Kocharian’s office revealed the invitation last week, saying that the leadership of the United Russia party wants to deepen “partnership” with Hayastan, Armenia’s second largest parliamentary force. According to azatutyun.am the trip was due to start at the end of Russian parliamentary elections slated for September 17-19. Kocharian needs a court permission to leave Armenia because of standing trial on corruption charges rejected by him as politically motivated. Anna Danibekian, the judge presiding over the trial, repeatedly allowed him to visit Moscow earlier this year and last fall. She also cleared him of other, more serious charges in April. Hayastan said on Friday that Danibekian has refused to give such permission this time around without any “legal reason.” “We are forced to cancel the visit,” the opposition bloc said in a statement.
https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31465643.html
Sources: armenpress.am, tass.com, jam-news.net, panorama.am, asbarez.com, armradio.am, jurist.org, azatutyun.am