Immediate End to Formal Restrictions on Freedom of Assembly Required: Artsakh Public Council

The statement of the Artsakh Public Council regarding the situation created in the Republic of Artsakh:

“In the context of the severe situation in Artsakh, local authorities must urgently transition from words, calls, and declarations to discussions, actions, and steps based on public demands. By authorities, we do not only mean the President of the Republic or the State Minister, but also all three branches of power established in the country according to the Constitution—executive, legislative, and judicial powers.

It is unacceptable to leave the confrontation with the challenges faced by our republic solely on the shoulders of civil-political organizations, movements, and especially the people who find themselves in a dire situation.

It is long overdue to declare the decisive and transformative phase of the Artsakh liberation struggle. This declaration should arise not only from the aforementioned entities but also from urgent discussions among all three branches of the Republic's authorities.

It is necessary to set aside political biases and to lift the legislative restrictions on the participation of state and local self-government bodies, their officials, and employees in the ongoing processes within the country, which have been imposed due to political restraint assumptions.

A significant part of the Artsakh people are employees of state and local self-government bodies and state-affiliated institutions, whose passive stance does not reflect the spirit and sentiments of the movements that have surged in Artsakh in recent days.

It is urgent to immediately lift the formal restrictions related to the freedoms of assembly, demonstration, speech, and opinion.

In these circumstances, reasonable and realistic speech, opinions, and all events that strengthen the unity of society can serve as a catalyst for exploring paths out of seemingly hopeless situations.

We consider the passive stance of the country's legislative authority especially unacceptable. During these days, the legislature should work not on a daily basis but in an hourly mode, carefully monitoring the processes arising from public demands and urgently providing them with legal force.

The people of Artsakh, who have turned a new page in Armenian history, have no alternative but to resort to decisive actions and steps, as they are being left alone not only by the international community.

This phase must be inscribed in golden letters in the pages of Armenian history, as this is a consciously fought struggle not only for the lives of the Artsakh people but also for the future of all Armenians.

According to the last paragraph of the 6th point of the trilateral statement, Azerbaijan is obliged to ensure the movement of citizens, vehicles, and freight in both directions (Artsakh-Armenia and vice versa). It is necessary to raise this issue in hourly mode, stating that the leaders of the three parties that signed the statement bear responsibility for the proper implementation of all conditions of the document.

In terms of the legal regulation of the 5th point of the statement, a Russian peacekeeping force has been deployed in Artsakh to ensure the effectiveness of the commitments undertaken by the contracting parties. This force must play a crucial role in ensuring the implementation of all points of the statement, without being subject to various justifications for inaction.

To summarize, it should be noted that Artsakh, which has been marginalized and left to the whims of fate by the whole world, must reach its subjectivity and the realization of its right to self-determination through practical steps to its status prior to September 27, 2020.”