“Today we are here, tomorrow we will close the airport”: Armenians in Strasbourg

“Today we are here, tomorrow we will close the airport.” Armenians held a large protest in front of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. The demonstration began with a minute of silence to commemorate fallen heroes, followed by applause in honor of the soldiers on the front lines.

The protesters, numbering over a thousand, chanted “Aliyev, Erdogan, terrorist,” “Armenia,” “Artsakh,” and also made calls in French. Placards bore slogans such as: “Your silence is a crime,” “Artsakh is Armenia,” “We want peace,” “Recognize Artsakh,” along with one featuring Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s photo and the inscription “Courage.”

One of the participants stated that the European Court of Human Rights should also protect the rights of those living in Artsakh. “We ask for an end to the bloody war happening in Artsakh. Cities, hospitals, and churches have been destroyed. If they continue to be indifferent, we are here today and we will close the airports tomorrow. Europe will come to a standstill; we will hit the economy if we are not heard. What we want is peace, and for that, we need the world to recognize the independence of Artsakh.”