Karabakh MPs and activists called for the collective return of refugees to their homeland

On the anniversary of the independence referendum, members of parliament of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic declared their intention to fight for collective return. Participants in the hearings noted that the Armenian authorities are actively distancing themselves from the issue, encouraging refugees to disperse around the world. 

In September 1991, the independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was proclaimed, and on December 10 of that year, a referendum on independence was held. The republic's international status remains unresolved, and UN member states have not recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state. Resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly have affirmed Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, according to an article about Nagorno-Karabakh published on the " Caucasian Knot .   " 

On December 10, the Day of the Constitution and the Nagorno-Karabakh Independence Referendum, members of the Nagorno-Karabakh National Assembly held parliamentary hearings and flower-laying ceremonies at the Nagorno-Karabakh Representation in Yerevan. 

A wreath-laying ceremony at the Yereblur military pantheon, the graves of soldiers, and the "Call of Artsakh" monument (Nagorno-Karabakh's self-designation) took place this morning. In addition to parliamentarians, the ceremony was attended by members of the government, clergy, and the general public of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The topic of the hearings, which were attended by political and public figures from Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, was the issue of the return of refugees to the region, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with it. 

"On December 10, 1991, a referendum on the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh was held, resulting in 99.8% of voters casting their ballots in favor of Artsakh's independence. On the same day in 2006, a nationwide referendum was held to adopt the draft of the first Constitution of the NKR, which stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is an independent, democratic, legal, and social state, and that state power is exercised on the territory actually under the republic's jurisdiction. 77,279 citizens voted in favor of the adoption of the NKR Constitution, thus legally establishing the second Armenian state. December 10 is also International Human Rights Day," the press service of the Nagorno-Karabakh representative office told the "Caucasian Knot." 

At the beginning of the hearing , National Assembly Speaker and Acting President of Nagorno-Karabakh Ashot Danielyan stated that the forcibly displaced residents of the unrecognized republic continue to fight for their statehood and the right to return. 

"We consider return only if international security mechanisms are in place. And this must be a collective return; individual or group return is unacceptable for the people of Artsakh. For us, only one return option is acceptable: just as we left Artsakh collectively, so we must return collectively," he stated. 

Danielyan noted that the Armenian authorities "are effectively trying to consign Artsakh to oblivion by supporting Azerbaijan's policies, depriving the Armenian side of the opportunity to work through the only international structure mandated to resolve the conflict—the OSCE Minsk Group." In his opinion, "negotiations must be restored, and the principle of self-determination must be respected during the negotiation process within the Minsk Group."

"The Armenian authorities' claims that raising the issue of Artsakh's return poses a threat to Armenia are incorrect. International law also stipulates that everyone has the right to return to their homeland. The Armenian authorities did nothing when Artsakh was subjected to aggression, and after the forced deportation, they have offered nothing substantial to ensure that the Artsakh people can live with dignity in Armenia," Danielyan said.

Artsakh National Assembly Member Gagik Baghunts noted that "according to all international norms, the Armenians of Artsakh have the right to collective return." The mechanisms and timeframes used to realize this right, he said, depend largely on the situation in the region.

"Events are changing very rapidly, and attitudes toward the region and its problems are evolving dynamically. What's unrealistic today may become possible tomorrow. We are taking a very realistic approach to resolving this issue and always consider the security concerns of the Republic of Armenia. The Artsakh authorities are making every effort to adequately respond to these changes," Baghunts noted.

Levon Zurabyan, deputy chairman of the Armenian National Congress party, accused the current Armenian authorities of "wanting the Artsakh issue to dissipate" and of wanting Artsakh's Armenians "not to be in Armenia, but to disperse throughout the world." "Armenia will hold elections in 2026, and the position of political forces on the Artsakh issue is a very important criterion that Armenian residents should be guided by," Zurabyan noted.

In his speech at the hearing, Nagorno-Karabakh Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan addressed the social rights of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh. He noted that the Armenian authorities' reduction in the volume of social assistance and the number of recipients "has further exacerbated the dire social situation of Artsakh residents," and that "the state housing program, in its current conditions and format, does not meet the needs of displaced persons."

Former Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan stated that "return should not be an end in itself, but should be the first step toward restoring and realizing the violated right to self-determination." He noted that "the negotiation process on Nagorno-Karabakh has been conducted for over two decades by three permanent members of the UN Security Council, who bear responsibility for violating international law, as 'all international organizations have stated that the Karabakh conflict is linked to the people's right to self-determination.'"

"The people were subjected to ethnic cleansing and forcibly expelled from their homeland. The OSCE Minsk Group was dissolved without Artsakh's consent, and Armenia lost the means to defend its interests in the international arena. However, despite the complex international situation, the return of Artsakh refugees remains a necessity. It is necessary to unite the efforts of all parties working on this issue and coordinate their actions to achieve tangible results," Torosyan emphasized.

He added that for the new stage of the Karabakh conflict settlement, it is important to define a clear concept that takes into account political and legal aspects.

"Efforts must be directed at documenting acts of military aggression and crimes against humanity committed by Azerbaijan, as well as ensuring the safe return of Artsakh refugees. The deployment of internationally mandated peacekeepers and temporary external administration must be considered necessary measures to protect the population and territory," stated the former speaker of the Armenian parliament.

Gegham Manukyan, director of the Armenian television company Yerkir Media, believes the main threat to the implementation of the idea of ​​​​the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh is "destructive processes within Armenian society itself, which undermine national unity and weaken efforts to protect the rights of the people of Artsakh."

According to him, "the issue of return cannot be viewed as a one-time political initiative or a time-limited program." "It must become part of everyday worldview, national identity, and long-term strategy," he believes. 

Manukyan attached particular importance to the issue of preserving the state institutions of Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia, stating that “institutional continuity can provide a legal, political, and historical basis for the further struggle for the rights of the people of Artsakh.”

"The preservation of Artsakh's state institutions should become a matter of dignity for all Armenians, as strengthening institutional, political, and social consolidation can return the topic of Artsakh to the international agenda and preserve the people's right to a voice and agency," he stated.

Constantly reminding people of the expulsion of Armenians from Karabakh is not enough; a full-fledged public and political dialogue around this issue is necessary, noted Armine Aleksanyan, a member of the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno-Karabakh . According to her, "the Artsakh issue cannot be viewed solely in terms of territorial or disputed issues."

"This is not a territorial issue or a subject of dispute. The Artsakh issue has no statute of limitations until it is fully resolved. It is essential to advance the protection of the rights of the residents of Artsakh on international and legal platforms. The right of return must be collective and dignified. It concerns not just individuals, but the entire people of Artsakh," she emphasized.

Aleksanyan noted that two fundamental conditions remain unresolved: the realization of the Karabakh Armenians' right to collective return to their homeland and the release of Armenians from Baku captivity, including the military and political leadership of the unrecognized republic. Without this, she believes, it is difficult to talk about the possibility of real peace.

Sergey Shahverdyan, Chairman of the Artsakh Culture and Tourism Development Agency, recalled that the cultural heritage of Armenians in Karabakh is being destroyed. "Azerbaijan's policy toward Armenian cultural heritage has three main directions: the complete destruction of monuments, the distortion of history, and privatization, which essentially means changing national identity. In Stepanakert, all monuments and works of art have been destroyed. The same situation exists throughout Artsakh," he stated.