Dissolution of Nagorno-Karabakh: arrests, “crime in opposition to humanity”… Replace on the scenario

The scenario continues to deteriorate in Nagorno-Karabakh. The self-proclaimed separatist republic introduced this Thursday, September 28, its dissolution on January 1, 2024, greater than 30 years after its creation and every week after a victorious offensive by Azerbaijan which pushed greater than half of the inhabitants to flee.

This Armenian-majority area, which seceded from Azerbaijan upon the disintegration of the USSR, opposed Baku for greater than three a long time, notably throughout two energetic wars between 1988 and 1994 and within the fall of 2020. .

However final week, Azerbaijan launched a army offensive to retake it and pushed the separatists to capitulate inside 24 hours, with out the intervention of Russian peacekeepers deployed there for the reason that finish of 2020. Since then, greater than 65 000 refugees fled the enclave. “L’Obs” takes inventory of the scenario.

• Dissolution of the separatist Republic

The chief of the enclave Samvel Chakhramanian introduced by decree the dissolution “of all authorities establishments (…) as of January 1, 2024” and that consequently “the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ceases to exist”.

In his decree dissolving the self-proclaimed republic, the separatist chief emphasizes that when the circumstances for the area’s return to Azerbaijan’s management are recognized, residents and refugees will have the ability to “individually make the choice to remain or return to Nagorno-Karabakh”. However, for the Armenian Prime Minister, none of its nationals will stay within the enclave in ” the following days “.

• Armenian Prime Minister accuses Azerbaijan of “ethnic cleaning”

The Armenian Prime Minister referred to as on the worldwide neighborhood to behave and punish Azerbaijan for “ethnic cleaning” underway, based on Yerevan, in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“If the condemnations (of the worldwide neighborhood) usually are not adopted by satisfactory political and authorized choices, then these condemnations will turn out to be acts of consent with what is occurring”denounced Nikol Pashinian.

On Franceinfo this Thursday morning, Hasmik Tolmajian, ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to France, denounced a ” crime in opposition to humanity “. “We will use a thousand phrases however it’s apparent that that is ethnic cleaning”she scolded, evoking a “genocide in progress”. “Azerbaijan, right this moment, is committing a criminal offense in opposition to humanity”she concluded.

Armenia additionally accused Azerbaijan this Thursday of finishing up “unlawful arrests” among the many columns of civilians fleeing to the border. “Azerbaijan is finishing up unlawful arrests of individuals on the checkpoint, which worries us drastically”Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian stated throughout a cupboard assembly.

• Greater than 65,000 refugees in Armenia

Armenian authorities reported this Thursday the arrival of 65,036 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, greater than half of the official inhabitants of this separatist area the place Azerbaijan led a lightning offensive final week. “The State supplies appropriate housing to all those that wouldn’t have a predetermined place of residence”the Armenian authorities stated in a press release.

Baku opened the Lachin hall on Sunday, the one highway linking the enclave to Armenia, 4 days after the capitulation of separatists and a ceasefire, resulting in the exodus of hundreds of civilians fleeing the arrival of forces Azerbaijani.

• Former chief of Nagorno-Karabakh positioned in pre-trial detention

An Azerbaijani court docket additionally positioned the previous separatist chief of Nagorno-Karabakh, Rouben Vardanian, in pre-trial detention this Thursday, after indicting him for financing terrorism and different crimes.

“The court docket determined to use a safety measure within the type of arrest” concerning the businessman, who led this secessionist area with an Armenian majority from November 2022 to final February, the Azerbaijani state safety service stated in a press release.

Rouben Vardanian can also be accused of making an unlawful armed group, based on the indictment offered by this service, which launched a video exhibiting the accused handcuffed and escorted by brokers of the Azerbaijani safety forces. These crimes might earn him a jail sentence of as much as 14 years.

“The federal government has requested the European Court docket of Human Rights to inquire about Vardanian’s whereabouts and his state of well being”Hasmik Samvelian, spokesperson for Armenia’s consultant for worldwide authorized points, advised AFP.