I Refuse the Title of 'Hero of Artsakh' and Suspend My Powers as Secretary of the Artsakh Security Council - Samvel Babayan

Dear compatriots, Artsakh is the center of Armenian statehood, a symbol of Armenian identity, and we must uphold the dignity of the Armenian people.

This was stated by Samvel Babayan, the Secretary of the Artsakh Security Council, on his Facebook page. He specifically noted: “With this awareness, we have lived through all phases of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, sacrificing thousands of lives for the land and the right to live with dignity in that land, enduring hardships.

Today, when the leaders of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, with a unilateral treacherous decision and with a single stroke of a pen, have cast doubt on the existence of Armenian identity, determined our being or not being on our behalf, and are spewing naked lies about recorded realities, a question arises: who authorized you, in a democratic country, to hand us over without the consent of the people, without consulting the elected bodies?

In response and in protest of these criminal actions, I declare that I refuse the highest title of 'Hero of Artsakh' and suspend my powers as Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Artsakh.