“Azerbaijan Continues Its Despicable Behavior”: Menendez on the Abduction of Artsakh Youth

The Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez, addressed the abduction of three Armenian youth from Artsakh by Azerbaijani authorities at an illegal checkpoint located in the Lachin corridor.

The senator called this act “despicable behavior” on the X (formerly Twitter) account of the committee. “We are deeply concerned that Azerbaijan continues its despicable behavior aimed at intimidating Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, blocking humanitarian aid, and disrupting crucial operations of the ICRC. This is unacceptable,” it stated on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's page.

It is important to note that on August 28, Azerbaijani law enforcement agencies abducted residents Alen Sargsyan, Vahe Hovsepyan, and Levon Grigoryan at an illegal checkpoint located in the Lachin corridor. Subsequently, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office released a statement indicating that the youth were detained for disrespecting the Azerbaijani flag. They also mentioned that a decision was made to cease criminal prosecution against the youth, and they would be “deported from Azerbaijani territory” after being held for 10 days.