2023 October 20

Daily news wrap-up

by ar_david_hh

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protesters storm Nagorno-Karabakh President Shahramanyan's office in Yerevan; Shahramanyan says Nagorno-Karabakh has not been dissolved

On Thursday President Shahramanyan signed a decree to fire every state worker excluding officials from the higher offices.

On Friday, Nagorno-Karabakh's Operational Headquarters, which was relocated to Armenia after the September 19 military aggression by Azerbaijan, announced that it's ceasing activities. Its purpose was to provide assistance to refugees. The Center advised the refugees to contact a similar center established by Armenia.

A group of refugees held a protest in front of the Nagorno-Karabakh representatives' office in Yerevan on Friday. The president came outside, with his hands in his pockets, to speak with the protesters. At one point he threatened to break a protester's skull over some remarks, earning criticism from the human rights office.

SHAHRAMANYAN: I have a lot to say, but not today. My words can endanger the fate of Armenia and Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]. I'm responsible for all my actions.

PROTESTER: [says something about the massive fuel explosion near Stepanakert that left hundreds dead and wounded]

SHAHRAMANYAN: I'm ready to discuss that, too. But we have one more homeland: Armenia. We are not allowed to endanger Armenia's future.

PROTESTER: If Pashinyan, Serj, and other Armenian leaders do not trust you and do not even want to speak with you, how can you resolve our problems?

SHAHRAMANYAN: That's your personal opinion.

PROTESTER: [gets upset] It's not my "opinion", it's a fact.

SHAHRAMANYAN: Calm down.

PROTESTER: You couldn't even bother making a televised statement to express condolences for the loss of so many lives at the fuel explosion site.

[protesters approach and engage in conversation, it's noisy, unintelligable]

PROTESTER: We fought for 30 years for our country and you singlehandedly signed a decree to give it all away with a stroke of a pen. If you felt like there was no other option due to physical threat, why didn't you summon the parliament to discuss the adoption of that decree?

SHAHRAMANYAN: The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh has not been dissolved. Have you seen the document? *[Shahramanyan reportedly told the protester that he did not sign under that document]* There are many questions surrounding the document. I cannot discuss it here. We are aware of the positive and negative aspects of that document. No document can dissolve a Republic formed by the People. I will give an interview to H1 [Armenia's public TV] to explain this. We would not have signed that ceasefire agreement if we believed there was a path to victory. We saved our men and civilians. Had we delayed the signing, the Azerbaijani army would have entered the capital Stepanakert from Krkzhan direction and slaughtered the civilians. //

Shahramanyan invited the protesters to meet in a hall next week to discuss the issues. He went back into his office. The protesters, many of whom did not hear what Shahramanyan was saying due to a lack of microphone, forcefully broke into the building and demanded to speak with him.

Several protesters gave an interview after the events. There were some socio-economic and corruption complaints. One of the main complaints is that Nagorno-Karabakh government officials did not display enough empathy and did not communicate with the public after hundreds of human losses on the frontlines and the fuel explosion site.

A supporter of the former regime [current leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh] was present at the scene and claimed that the crowd was sent there by Pashinyan and Samvel Babayan for political reasons, an accusation that further angered the already-angry protesters who began calling her a "provocateur". She vowed to bring her children to form a human shield to protect President Shahramanyan from the crowd. She was confronted by a protester who disagreed with her assessment. Others allowed her to speak because "she is our compatriot, too".

PROTESTER: Do not fall for these provocations. There are no political games here. People who lost relatives have come for answers. It's been a month. Not a single government official has properly addressed the irreversible human losses. //

President Shahramanyan hosted several protesters in his office to answer their questions.

SHAHRAMANYAN: Most of the questions were related to socio-economic difficulties: jobs, wages, etc. We have answered to the best of our abilities. //

PROTESTER: The Clan [Nagorno-Karabakh officials] owns many hotels in Armenia. Let them house the refugees in their hotels. Many of us sleep in kindergartens and other buildings in poor condition. *[As part of the $100 million aid package, the Armenian government is giving financial subsidies for housing but it's only enough for housing in provinces due to high prices in Yerevan. Some recipients add their personal funds to the gov't subsidy to live in a "nicer" place.]*

REPORTER: Why don't you ask the Armenian government to resolve these problems?

PROTESTER (lost his brother): Then why do we even have our own president? A third of refugees are sleeping in cars. At least the Armenian government is doing something and not kicking us to the curb like gypsies. What about our government? They don't have a problem because they sleep in their mansions and hotels. //

A physical fight broke out between protesters and President Samvel Shahramanyan's chief of staff Karen Shahramanyan.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPPsFiUJePI) [source,](https://arka.am/en/news/politics/nagorno_karabakh_operational_headquarters_ceases_activities_in_armenia/) [source,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/271823) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKPlRaHlJqU) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVHtjkRUsvI?t=1890) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVHtjkRUsvI?t=8857) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4_WmTv0DCk) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rHVDFpJ330) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T8zwrqixWA) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cEaHAfjGw4) [source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UufrO3Wg-SM) [source,](https://www.armtimes.com/hy/article/271845) [source,](https://factor.am/702662.html)

some outlets circulated misinformation about the financial assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh refugees

[factcheck](https://www.civilnet.am/news/754775/մանիպուլյացիաների-տարափ՝-5-րդ-ալիքի-հայլուրի-եթերում/)

detailed visual and geographic explanation of Azerbaijan's September 19-20 military invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh

Tatoyan Foundation has gathered the available evidence to understand the movement of Azerbaijani troops. They intentionally isolated civilian settlements before murdering unsuspecting civilians traveling between settlements.

Azerbaijani agents at the illegal checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor told some of the fleeing Armenians that they would die if they returned to Nagorno-Karabakh. When in front of cameras, Azerbaijani agents put on a humanitarian mask, said the Foundation.

Several fleeing residents had their cross necklaces "confiscated".

[video,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxhM1_tVqY) [video,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hms2dNk-hz0?t=8)

Austrian parliament condemns Azerbaijan's military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh

All 5 parties supported the resolution. It calls on the federal government "at all international platforms and bilateral discussions to condemn Azerbaijan's military actions, which have led to the mass exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh."

It emphasizes the importance of protecting ethnic Armenians' rights who wish to return to Nagorno-Karabakh and the implementation of UN World Court orders.

[source,](https://arka.am/en/news/politics/austrian_parliament_s_resolution_condemns_azerbaijan_s_ethnic_cleansing_in_nagorno_karabakh/)

interview with Vilen Gabrielyan, a member of the parliamentary Defense Committee from the ruling party

REPORTER (24TV): There are reports that Armenia will import weapons from France. We also have Indian weapons. Have they been used already? Are the personnel being trained?

VILEN: We have opportunities to receive weapons from India, France, and more recently Sweden after their parliament's recent confirmation of an agreement around possible arms contracts. In the meantime, the deliveries continue.

REPORTER: From India?

VILEN: Including India. Work is underway to increase the imports from India. As for their usage, I cannot say whether these weapons have already been used or not. We must train a group of experts to use these new weapons.

REPORTER: What can you tell us about the type and purpose of these weapons?

VILEN: Mostly defensive weapons.

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYoyU64rXOs)

survey conducted in Russia shows the sentiments towards Armenia and Azerbaijan after the invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh

Are you aware of the recent military clashes?

Yes, in detail: 21%

Yes, somewhat: 60%

Not at all: 18%

Elder respondents and Moscovites were the most aware of the war.

... Who was the initiator of the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh?

NATO: 41%

AZ: 15%

AM: 11%

... Telegram readers are more pro-Armenian than those who get fed by Solovyov & Margo

Who initiated the recent conflict?

TV viewers: 41% NATO, 15% AZ, 11% AM

Telegram: 35% NATO, 26% AZ, 8% AM

... Russian residents are more sympathetic towards Azerbaijan

Which side has your sympathy?

2016: 15% AM, 4% AZ, 67% neither

2020: 15% AM, 6% AZ, 74% neither

2023: 8% AM, 10% AZ, 74% neither

... Those who claim they follow the news more closely are more pro-Azerbaijan

The % sympathetic to Armenia and Azerbaijan:

I closely follow the news: 12% AM, 21% AZ

Participants in general: 8% AM, 10% AZ

... Do you support the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh?

Yes: 58%

No: 27%

==... What is your opinion of Armenia and Azerbaijan?

AM: 54% good, 29% bad

AZ: 57% good, 23% bad

... The opinion towards Armenia, based on age

Young: 69% good, 18% bad

Old: 45% good, 37% bad

... The opinion towards Azerbaijan, based on age

Young: 68% good, 23% bad

Old: 53% good, 26% bad

... The opinion towards Turkey

Good: 54%

Bad: 28%

[source,](https://www.civilnet.am/news/754763/ըստ-հարցման՝-ռուսաստանցիների-վերաբերմունքը-հայաստանի-նկատմամբ-վատթարացել-է․-ինչո՞ւ/) [redacted,](2023/09/29/nagornyj-karabah-i-otnoshenie-k-stranam-na-fone-konflikta-sentyabr-2023/)

the head of Armenia's Free Speech Committee supports a ban on the broadcasting of Russian state television in Armenia over their anti-Armenia coverage

Last week a member of Armenia's ruling party said there were internal discussions about the possibility of banning Russian channels from Armenia's public airways. The government officials are more cautious and have not signaled an intent to ban.

REPORTER (1in TV): Lately, Russian channels have been nonstop spraying mudwater on Armenia. Yesterday, Armenia's Minister of High Tech finally stated that these violations are being monitored by the government. What should Armenia do?

ASHOT MELIKYAN (Free Speech Committee): This was actively discussed by the expert groups. We see that the Armenian government has chosen not to act despite the AM-RU mutual agreement allowing for certain actions.

The AM-RU agreement states that Armenia and Russia can hold discussions at the government level to address various issues should they arise. Sadly, our government is not utilizing this opportunity.

This is a dirty propaganda against Armenia. It also contains hate speech, fake news, and disinformation. This is enough ground to remove them - for now from the public multiplex.

REPORTER: What other countries do you know that allow the broadcasting of Russian channels on public multiplex? Only in Armenia you can find this.

MELIKYAN: Russia does not appreciate that enough. We should move these channels exclusively to cable TV. We should also negotiate with Russia not to broadcast in Armenia their TV shows that cover politics and internal news. These shows do not benefit the Armenian public. They are pure propaganda.

Even their "Kultura" channel, which focuses on cultural news, broadcasted a show called "Kartina Mira" [world map] that changed the subject from discussing Armenia's history to making direct calls for an illegal coup in Armenia, accompanied by insults and defamation not only towards the Armenian government but also the general public. Kultura must be removed from our public multiplex, too.

The removal of these channels from public multiplex is insufficient. The Armenian government should negotiate with Russia to end the broadcasting of specific problematic shows I mentioned earlier. They must be replaced with more neutral content that provides leisure, useful knowledge, etc.

Obviously, these Russian channels do not act independently, they are receiving orders from the Kremlin, so this issue must be discussed with the Russian government. //

[source,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2HXn-VNMyg)

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/17cmxad/survey_russians_are_more_sympathetic_towards/