Stepanakert townspeople commemorate Armenian Genocide victims with torchlight march

A torchlight procession and the opening of a documentary photo exhibition were held in Nagorno-Karabakh in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire. All countries must condemn the Armenian Genocide and recognize it as a crime against humanity, the participants of the action held in Stepanakert have stated.

"Since 1915, nothing has changed in our enemies' policy. The same genocide policy is applied today to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh, – note of the "Caucasian Knot") ... Today, more than ever, we must demonstrate our unity," the organizers of the march, activists of the Youth Union of the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" Party, have stated.

The documentary photo exhibition dedicated to the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide has opened at the State Local History Museum of Nagorno-Karabakh in Stepanakert.

"The Armenian Genocide was the first step in the programme of liquidation of the Armenian nation. Turkey's policy has not changed since then," said Lernik Ovannisyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Sciences, Culture and Sports of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"All the countries of the world must condemn the genocide and recognize that it was a crime against humanity," said Narine Musaelyan, a marcher in Stepanakert.

She has noted that her ancestors fell victim to the tragic events in Shushi in 1920; out of her large family, only her great-grandmother managed miraculously to survive.

"We must get ready for the struggle for Artsakh, for the territories that came under enemy's cont rol as a result of the 44-day war," said Arthur Babayan, another marcher.