Thousands of protesters gathered in Yerevan on Wednesday evening, the 20th of September, to protest against the Armenian government’s alleged failure to support the Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh. Demonstrators gathered in Republic Square to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, reports Reuters.
Protesters in Yerevan, including Harut, a 32-year-old engineer, expressed their desire for the prime minister to step down, he said that
it was better for a leader who lost the war to leave office
than to continue, adding that the loss was particularly painful for Armenians who have fought for Karabakh for more than 30 years.
Opposition politicians also condemned Pashinyan in speeches in Republic Square.
Some protesters at the square shouted: “Artsakh!”, while others called the Prime Minister a traitor. Many waved Nagorno-Karabakh flags, starting confrontations with the police, with some protesters throwing bottles and stones at the Prime Minister’s office. Riot police guarded government offices and military trucks were deployed nearby, providing a reinforced security presence.
Clashes between protesters and police began in Yerevan
Protesters throw stones and bottles at police officers in front of the government building.
One law enforcement officer was injured. pic.twitter.com/urIPJei8GA
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 20, 2023
Some protesters tore Russian passports, shouting: “Russia out!” to show their frustration and disappointment with Russia’s inaction. In recent months, Pashinyan himself has publicly accused Russia of not supporting Armenia enough in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Protesters in Yerevan are tearing up Russian passports and chanting the slogan “Russia go away!” pic.twitter.com/RFem9aQOMk
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 20, 2023
Armenians, predominantly Christian, assert a historical legacy of dominance in the region, known as Artsakh. Meanwhile, Azerbaijanis, primarily Muslim, also connect their historical identity to this area. Internationally, Nagorno-Karabakh is acknowledged as part of Azerbaijan.
One protester, holding an Artsakh flag, said: “Armenians cannot accept another country, another religion. Why should we? Why should Armenia give part of itself to another nation?” He went on to stress that if Artsakh is lost, eventually Armenia itself will be lost.
For its part, Azerbaijan has stressed its desire to achieve a “smooth reintegration process” of Karabakh’s Armenian population, while
rejecting Armenian accusations that it aims to “ethnically cleanse” the region.
BNN has already reported that Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a Russian ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, the 20th of September, after Azerbaijan launched a military operation to seize control of the area.
Read also: Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians agree to ceasefire due to Azerbaijan military operation