VIDEO: They died, but their bodies remained captive after death. Relatives of the fallen in Artsakh gather near the government

Relatives of victims from the September 2023 military operations in the Republic of Artsakh gathered near the government building, demanding the exhumation and transfer of their loved ones buried in Stepanakert to Armenia.

“My son, Arthur Arzumanyan, was killed on September 19, 2023. We ask, we demand that they carry out the exhumation and bring our children to Armenia, so that we can at least place a flower on their graves. We have appealed to the governments of Armenia and Artsakh, as well as the Red Cross, but to no avail. My last hope is to go to Goris; I ask that the border be opened, no matter what the cost, I plead with the Turks to let me bring my child to Armenia. That is my last hope if there is no state here,” said Borik Arzumanyan.

Participant Bella Galstayan, sister of Sasun and David Avanesyan, said they had addressed former officials of Artsakh several times, who claimed that an agreement had been reached with the Azerbaijani side for the exhumation and transfer of the bodies, but by the end of the day, it was canceled. “They did not state the reasons; they said the Azerbaijani side canceled it. We ask, we implore the authorities of Armenia to transfer our relatives' bodies. They died, and even after death, the bodies remained captive; at least allow us to transfer the bodies. After all, we left the bodies that were buried for two days abandoned,” said the woman from Artsakh. She recounted that her brother Sasun Avanesyan was buried in Stepanakert, while David was buried in Armenia, as he was injured during an explosion at a fuel depot near Stepanakert and was later transferred to Armenia, where he died.