On the occasion of Artsakh’s Independence Day, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I stated in his message that Artsakh must not be buried under the dust of history, stressing that restoring Artsakh’s independence is an integral part of the Armenian nation’s sacred cause.
“Yes, today we have lost Artsakh, but we have not lost, and must not lose, the hope of restoring Artsakh with its land, its people, and its right to sovereignty — no matter how unfavorable the surrounding conditions may be,” he said.
Aram I further noted that Artsakh has been subjected to a planned and systematic genocide, and in international terms, that is how the seizure of Artsakh and the forced displacement of its Armenian population should be defined.
“The faith and will of Artsakh’s Armenians to live freely must be turned into a daily, purposeful struggle,” the message reads.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh, subjecting the country to massive shelling. A day later, on September 20, Artsakh’s authorities accepted the Russian peacekeeping mission’s proposal for a ceasefire, agreeing to Baku’s terms — disarmament of the Defense Army and dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. Starting September 24, forced deportations began, with over 100,000 people displaced to Armenia. According to reports, around 20 Armenians remain in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on the dissolution of Artsakh, which came into force on January 1, 2024.
