No Armenian Soldier or Commander Should Be Extradited to Azerbaijan, Chalabyan on Azerbaijan's Demands

“The disaster in Artsakh continues. 20,000 of our compatriots are sleeping under the open sky in Artsakh; our army must be disarmed today, the enemy has demanded that all commanders be surrendered so they can be tried on their territory, and most likely sentenced to life imprisonment, hard labor, or death,” said Avetik Chalabyan, head of the Hayakve initiative, at a rally held in Republic Square today, September 22.

“The road is still blocked, there is no traffic; Stepanakert is under siege, Martuni and Martakert are under siege, the villages of Askeran are occupied. This is a horrendous disaster that occurred as a result of the plans drawn up by this government and its sponsors, and our compatriots have become the hostages and victims of this situation. Today, Artsakh continues to bleed. We must do everything to stop this hemorrhage,” he stated.

Chalabyan outlined several steps that need to take place in the coming days: “First, no Armenian soldier or commander should be extradited to Azerbaijan; second, the roads to Artsakh must be opened. We need to ensure that our compatriots receive the most essential goods—food, clothing, fuel, tents, and so on. Third, more than 10,000 of our compatriots have been evacuated from their villages, and they must be given the opportunity to return home as much as possible. Most importantly, they want to convince us that the last page of Armenian history has turned and that Artsakh is lost. This is not the case. Let us vow that we will not reconcile with the loss of Artsakh. Our children and grandchildren will return Artsakh. To achieve this, it is crucial that what remains in Artsakh is preserved,” Chalabyan announced.

Referring to the discussion on Artsakh in the UN Security Council, Chalabyan noted that the Armenian representative proposed that a UN peacekeeping mission enter Artsakh. “Perhaps this is one of the options that could at least temporarily maintain peace in Artsakh until Armenia, freed from this puppet regime, regains its strength. We must understand that if such a mission does not exist, it could force Armenia to surrender Syunik or a corridor through Syunik while continuing to hold the people of Artsakh hostage. Therefore, it is important for the entire Armenian state system to engage in direct work with international partners in the coming days, no matter how much this rogue tries to hinder us. Get to work and do everything to ensure that key players in the international community—the USA, Russia, the EU, and perhaps China—combine their efforts to guarantee the security of our people in Artsakh, open the roads, and block Azerbaijan's genocidal plans,” he emphasized.