Tension Near Voskepar Church: Police Form Barrier

A tense situation has developed near the Holy Mother of God Church in the Voskepar community of Tavush Province, Armenia. Police and special forces of the National Security Service (NSS) are preventing citizens from approaching the church.

Earlier, it was reported that sappers had begun clearing the area adjacent to the church. A resident of Voskepar informed us that the area is being cleared because it will be transferred to Azerbaijan as a result of an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Currently, the police have formed a barrier. One citizen approached Tavush Police Chief Artur Mkrtchyan and inquired why they were being obstructed. “You’re Armenian, I’m Armenian. Are you giving it away? You can’t answer my question; you say, ‘I am performing my duty,’” he stated.

When one of the clergy approached the NSS special forces, he was also not allowed to pass, leading residents to attempt to break through the police barrier.

It is noteworthy that the commissions on border delineation between Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on April 19 to begin the demarcation from Tavush Province. The description of the relevant segments of the border will be compiled based on the clarification of coordinates obtained from geodetic measurements in the area, which will be formalized in a corresponding protocol-description that must be agreed upon and signed by both parties by May 15, 2024.