Artsakh Journalist Speaks at IRF about Azerbaijani Genocide

Syaranush Sargsyan, a journalist forcibly displaced from Artsakh, spoke at the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF) about the genocide perpetrated by Azerbaijan. The summit, held in Washington D.C., was also attended by former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.

The Artsakh journalist shared the tragedy her compatriots are enduring due to forced displacement. Many of them are away from home for the first time in their lives.

“I grew up not far from the ancient, Christian Amaras of the 4th century, where the first school in Armenia was founded... Today, we have not only lost our land, our homes, but also our history and traditions,” said Syaranush.

Displaced individuals are also forced to leave behind the graves of their loved ones, and they are unable to visit them now. Syaranush emphasized that although the months of blockade were incredibly difficult and harsh—leaving them without basic necessities like food and medicine—today, each person from Artsakh dreams about the days of the blockade.

Syaranush also spoke about the ongoing cultural genocide carried out by Azerbaijan, highlighting how Armenian historical monuments are being misrepresented as Albanian, among other things.

It should be noted that after a six-month blockade, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh on September 19. The forced displacement of Artsakh residents began on September 24. On September 28, Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree stating that the Republic of Artsakh would cease to exist as of January 1, 2024. According to the latest data, 101,848 individuals displaced from Artsakh have been registered and identified in Armenia.