The Presence of Azerbaijanis in Armenia is Problematic Due to Aliyev's Aggressive Behavior - Hakob Karapetyan

I do not relate to what Aram Nikoyan did in any way – I neither welcome it nor condemn it. I do not know what motives drove him to that act; I do not know what psychological state he was in. If there is a legal process (and I believe there should be), I hope we will get answers to those questions.

This was stated by journalist and the former spokesperson for the Mayor of Yerevan, Hakob Karapetyan, on his Facebook page.

“One question intrigues me in this story: how is it possible at the highest level to record the impending danger of genocide hanging over our heads, to constantly talk about Azerbaijan's aggressive and provocative behavior, to warn the world of the impending new war, and at the same time allow the flag of that country to be raised in your capital three days after yet another bloody clash? A flag that is a symbol of personal and collective tragedy for tens of thousands of citizens. How can one not see the elephant in the room, how can one not anticipate potential outbreaks?”

This isn’t a matter of wanting peace or not; it’s obvious that the overwhelming majority in Armenia wants peace. Personally, I dream not of the destruction of Azerbaijan, but rather that one day we can establish sincere friendship with that country. However, the fact is, today, due to Azerbaijan's authoritarian regime and its propaganda, Azerbaijani society represents a radical threat to us and poses an existential danger.

Was it not possible, as the organizing country, to inform the international federation that the presence of the Azerbaijani team in Armenia is problematic precisely due to Aliyev's aggressive behavior? Imagine a situation where your neighboring brother has killed you and almost daily threatens that he will kill your children too. And one evening you come home and find your neighbor sitting on the couch drinking tea. What should you do? Frankly, I do not know what to do, but I certainly know what should not be done. One should not leave the murderous neighbor in the house, who threatens further killing.

P.S. I mentioned above that I do not relate to what Nikoyan did in any way. Nevertheless, I condemn the gross violation of fire safety rules,” wrote Karapetyan.

It is worth mentioning that an incident occurred during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship. Designer and stylist Aram Nikoyan unexpectedly ran onto the stage, seized the Azerbaijani flag from the hand of the flag bearer, and burned it in front of everyone. It should be noted that in a photo, Aram Nikoyan is seen to have a pass, which suggests that he is a member of the organizing team, presumably responsible for the costumes of the show participants. After the incident, Nikoyan was taken in for questioning and later released. No criminal proceedings will be initiated against him due to lack of evidence. Additionally, designer and stylist Aram Nikoyan, who burned the Azerbaijani flag, stated that what he did was exclusively an act of a proud Armenian man.