"Silence is no longer possible": Parents of fallen soldiers issue statement

The parents and relatives of the fallen soldiers from the 44-day Artsakh war are planning to hold a protest on April 26 at Aznavour Square. They are calling for participation in the gathering through their Facebook page.

Mrs. Naira, the mother of tank commander Gevorg Javakhyan, has posted a picture of her and her son on social media, writing, "Many of you have asked what you can do for us. Now I am saying: on that day, at that time, be with us. I, as the mother of GEVORG JAVAKHYAN, will be on April 26 at 14:00 at Aznavour Square near the Moscow cinema, alongside the parents of heroes. Parents, relatives, friends, fellow villagers, fellow citizens who have sacrificed their earthly lives during the 44-day war for our homeland: In the last one and a half years, we have gone through mourning, pain, grief, and unimaginable suffering, living through unbearable days and months of longing. While reflecting on the martyrdom of our sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers, spending countless sleepless nights, we often asked ourselves: Whose fault is it? By whose steps and actions did war enter our home...

Many of us guessed the answers to those questions and were horrified by them; we couldn’t bring ourselves to believe that... Silence is no longer an option, especially after the well-known confession— the only difference would have been that the boys would still be alive. By remaining silent, we become indirect participants in that bloody crime. Dear fellow sufferers, sisters, brothers, friends, fellow villagers, fellow citizens, the souls of our boys are troubled; they demand revenge and accountability from us. They demand resolution from us.

On April 26, at 14:00, let’s gather at Charles Aznavour Square (near the Moscow cinema) and together decide our next steps. We kindly ask you to bring photos of our heroes or wear their images on your shirts. Our demand is just and comes from Heaven; our purpose is noble."

It is noteworthy that the parents of fallen soldiers have also expressed their views on this issue on social media and have made statements themselves, which we present below:

“I, as the father of Andreas Andreasian, will be on April 26, at 14:00 at Aznavour Square near the Moscow cinema, alongside the parents of heroes. Many of you have asked what you can do for us. Now I am saying: instead of offering condolences or comforting words, be with us on that day, at that time.”

“I, as the father of Zorik Sharhamanyan, will be on April 26, at 14:00 at Aznavour Square near the Moscow cinema, alongside the parents of heroes. Many of you have asked what you can do for us. Now I am saying: be with us on that day, at that time.”

“I, as the father of Shant Navoyan, will be on April 26, at 14:00 at Aznavour Square near the Moscow cinema, alongside the parents of heroes. Many of you have asked what you can do for us. Now I am saying: be with us on that day, at that time.”