MosJan

https://www.thearmenianreport.com/post/russian-state-tv-host-calls-for-possible-military-action-against-armenia Russian State TV Host Calls for Possible Military Action Against Armenia A leading host on Russian state television has openly suggested that Russia could carry out a military intervention in Armenia, using language similar to that employed to justify the invasion of Ukraine. During a broadcast on Sunday, Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov spoke about Armenia in strongly hostile terms. He said that events in Armenia were more important to Russia than developments in other parts of the world. “For us, the developments in Armenia are far more painful than those in Venezuela. Losing Armenia is a huge problem,” Solovyov said. He added that Russia should stop following international rules, stating, “We should get our goals straight. The time for games is over. To hell with international law and the global order.” Solovyov also said that if Russia justified launching a “special military operation” in Ukraine on security grounds, it could apply the same logic elsewhere. The term “special military operation” is the language used by Russian officials and pro-government media to describe Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There was no immediate reaction from Armenia’s government or its foreign ministry following the broadcast. Solovyov is a daily political talk show host on Russian state television and also runs his own TV channel. His comments represent some of the most direct public calls for intervention in Armenia to appear on Russian state media in recent years. This was not the first time Solovyov has used aggressive rhetoric toward Armenia. In June of last year, he attacked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Russian public television, calling him “Turkol” and warning that Armenia “might cease to exist as an independent country.” After the broadcast, Armenia’s government announced plans to introduce legislative and technical measures to block Russian state propaganda in Armenia’s media space. Armenia and Russia are bound by a bilateral agreement that requires both sides to prevent and refrain from hate speech and hostile rhetoric against each other on public television. Under this agreement, three Russian state TV channels are broadcast in Armenia on free-to-air television. The agreement was last renewed in 2021. — Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.

https://www.thearmenianreport.com/post/azerbaijan-returns-four-armenian-prisoners-to-armenia?fbclid=IwY2xjawPU0t5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6SHFYZHE0MEhsaGhKc1dMc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjmlLGf2humorOzGlNLoEOtzgq6FfXVQ9W3CENhg2jzCZCxTuqIaj6b1bo-i_aem_6mibdb1HHynXUmVRca32cg Azerbaijan Returns Four Armenian Prisoners to Armenia Azerbaijan has returned four Armenian prisoners to Armenia, according to official statements from Armenian authorities. The transfer took place a short time ago at the Hakari Bridge, where representatives of Azerbaijan’s relevant state bodies handed over the detainees to representatives of the Republic of Armenia. The four individuals are now on Armenian territory. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed the development and named the returned prisoners as Gevorg Sujyan, Davit Davtyan, Vigen Euljekjyan, and Vagif Khachatryan. According to the prime minister, initial medical checks show that Gevorg Sujyan, Davit Davtyan, and Vigen Euljekjyan do not have health problems. Vagif Khachatryan’s health condition has been initially assessed as satisfactory. The prime minister also stated that all four are being transported to Yerevan. The issue of Armenians held in Azerbaijan has been a key topic in Armenia’s diplomatic efforts. On January 13, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan discussed this matter in Washington during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Mirzoyan spoke about the meeting during an online press conference on January 14, where he said the sides discussed the situation of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan, as well as possible steps for U.S. mediation and support. Mirzoyan noted that the talks covered both bilateral cooperation and cooperation stemming from the TRIPP framework. He also said that certain obstacles were discussed, which at present do not align with emerging peace trends in the region. The issue of individuals held in Azerbaijan was identified as one of those obstacles. One of the returned prisoners, Vagif Khachatryan, was abducted by Azerbaijan on July 29, 2023, at an illegal checkpoint installed in the Lachin Corridor. At the time, Khachatryan was under the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross and was being transferred to Armenia for medical treatment. Azerbaijani authorities later brought charges against him in Baku, accusing him of allegedly participating in so-called “genocidal acts against Azerbaijanis” during the first Nagorno-Karabakh war. In November 2023, Khachatryan was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Another returned detainee, Lebanese-Armenian Vigen Euljekjyan, was captured shortly after the end of the 2020 war. In 2021, Azerbaijan charged him with mercenarism, terrorism, and illegal crossing of the Azerbaijani state border. A court in Baku sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Gevorg Sujyan and Davit Davtyan were captured in November 2020, after active fighting in Artsakh had ended. During the war, Sujyan had been delivering aid to Artsakh together with friends. Azerbaijan accused both Sujyan and Davtyan of espionage. They were later sentenced to 15 years in prison.

While we welcome the return of four Armenians to our homeland, we cannot overlook the fact that they were illegally held captive for years in Baku’s prisons. Their release does not erase the injustice they endured. At least 19 other Armenians remain unlawfully imprisoned in Baku. Their continued captivity must not be ignored. Until they are all home. #FreeAllArmenianPoliticalPrisoners

On Monday, December 22, the Cyprus Parliament unanimously recognized the Syriac-Aramean Genocide of 1915 (also called the Sayfo). The resolution was introduced by MP Kostis Efstathiou and supported by all major political parties. Cyprus had already recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1975, but this vote marks the first time the genocide on Syriac Christians has been specifically and formally acknowledged by the parliament of Cyprus. #Cyprus #ArameanGenocide #AssyrianGenocie #ArmenianGenocide