A conference titled Artsakh /Nagorno-Karabakh/, Two Years After the Ethnic Cleansing will take place at the French National Assembly. The initiative comes from French MP Emmanuel Mandon, Vice-President of the France-Armenia Friendship Group, according to the Artsakh Representation in France.
The event aims to reassess the tragic depopulation of Artsakh, analyze its political and legal consequences, and present the facts surrounding the ethnic cleansing carried out against the Armenian population.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a full-scale military offensive against the Republic of Artsakh, directly targeting civilian areas and infrastructure. The cities of Stepanakert, Askeran, Martakert, and others were shelled. The ten-month-long blockade ended with the forcible seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijani forces, leading to mass displacement and ethnic cleansing of the local Armenian population.
The conference will feature participation from members of the French and Swiss parliaments, as well as representatives from the European Parliament, local government officials, diplomats, scholars, and journalists.
Its core objective is to document the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, draw international attention to the issue, and explore potential political and legal frameworks that could shape Artsakh’s future.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale assault on Artsakh, shelling the entire territory. A day later, on September 20, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh accepted a ceasefire proposed by Russian peacekeepers, agreeing to Baku’s terms—disarmament of the Defense Army and dissolution of the republic. Starting September 24, over 100,000 Armenians were forcibly displaced to Armenia. Only about 20 Armenians are reported to remain in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree on the dissolution of Artsakh, effective January 1, 2024.
