"Fact" daily writes:
The visit of US Vice President J.D. Vance to Armenia and Azerbaijan contained a sign of expectation that the issue of the return of our compatriots illegally detained in Baku to Armenia will be raised. It was briefly mentioned that there was a reference to this issue, but there seems to be no movement.
Larisa Alaverdyan, executive director of the NGO "Against Legal Arbitrariness", notes that the US vice president has no problem solving issues that concern the society of the Republic of Armenia. "US President Donald Trump expressed himself very clearly, saying that any of their actions should be based on the national interests of the US. So, it is not possible to expect more from Vance's visit. The US vice president came to Armenia and initially "sold" the modular nuclear power plant, which has not been tested anywhere.
As they say, they put us in debt, be it nine or five billion dollars. We don't know for sure whether we are dealing with a shameful translation or a trend," says Alaverdyan in a conversation with "Pasti". He says that he respects any state and people, but when he sees how their high-ranking officials act, many questions arise. "What about our compatriots who are under political hostages?
They were taken hostage, then kept as hostages in Azerbaijan for years, they were falsely accused. At the time when they were taken hostage, they were still citizens of the Republic of Armenia. On October 26, 2023, the Government of the Republic of Armenia adopted a decision, in the process of its implementation, it considered that Artsakh passports do not mean confirmation of citizenship, but are just travel documents, we are talking about native Artsakh citizens, and this is a blow in the back.
The current government of our country is not trying to take such steps by which those persons would return to Armenia, if not before the end of the "judicial" process, then at least after it. I am not surprised, because the first clear countermeasure was taken in 2023, depriving the citizens of Artsakh of their citizenship. As for Ruben Vardanyan, the person holding the position of the Prime Minister of Armenia responded with a statement not suitable for the Prime Minister, when he was asked about Vardanyan, who sent Ruben Vardanyan to Karabakh, for what purpose, etc.
He informs Azerbaijan of the doubts that the Armenian government has about who Ruben Vardanyan is. None of the many steps proposed by Ruben Vardanyan and other lawyers have been implemented so that these people would have the opportunity to return to Armenia. On the contrary, our four political hostages were equated with two persons who committed international crimes.
We are all happy that our compatriots have returned home, but if we look at the issue from a political and legal point of view, it is quite a reprehensible so-called exchange. Recently, the person holding the position of Prime Minister of Armenia tried to prove to the public, at least to convince, that the return of these people to Armenia happened as a result of hard work.
This is a shame for the people who believe this. Both the murky goals and murky actions of the government are obvious," our interlocutor notes. He emphasizes that we should be modest about our expectations from high-ranking foreign officials. "Maybe someone will say, then why did you participate in the action organized in Yerevan during those days?" There are things that cannot not be done, if the government does not do it in a proper way, does not set demands, members of the civil society are obliged to take such an action and say that this problem exists.
Even if you don't have any hope, there is one thing: the protest action was demanded and it happened," he said. And in this situation, are there any opportunities to return our persons convicted as a result of fabricated court proceedings to their homeland? "There are at least a few pipes. First, if they have not been extradited before the end of the "judicial" process, international law allows the authorities to turn to the authorities of Azerbaijan and transfer already convicted persons to Armenia.
We know that they do not do it for various reasons. But that way to solve the issue is not yet closed, because it is possible that a third state will assume the responsibility of doing such actions, that is, turn to Azerbaijan with a request, but this, as a rule, happens as a result of the steps taken by the most interested state.
In my opinion, the current government of Armenia will not only not do that, but it will also be the main obstacle in alleviating the fate of the people who are in political hostage situation. Ilham Aliyev hastened to announce: don't suddenly expect that if we sent four people to Armenia, and it happened as a result of the so-called dirty, one can say bloody and criminal "exchange", then the military and political leaders will also return to Armenia.
Aliyev has already ruled it out. This means that the rest stay in Azerbaijan for the most criminal arrangements. The elections are approaching, it is not excluded that, as a support, attitude towards the person occupying the position of the Prime Minister, they can send a few more people to Armenia, but necessarily demanding a heavy concession for Armenia and the Armenian people.
Criminal activities have not been prevented, moreover, people in this situation receive a peace prize. The West continues to praise the development of democracy in the Republic of Armenia. He speaks with the same praise about Ilham Aliyev, who committed many crimes against international law.
We are living in the times of the highest level of crisis, in particular, the days of the crisis of international law. Despite this, my appeal is as follows: suddenly, anyone whose heart aches for all this and particularly for the statehood of the Republic of Armenia, should not think that it is a lost field.
On the contrary, we must make it clear that the active, consistent struggle will end with the victory of the right, not of force and "bravery". Let me remind you that the three Baltic republics fought against the "Molotov-Ribbentrop" criminal agreements.
It is no coincidence that in 1991, when the Soviet Union still existed, they declared their independence from the USSR not by the law passed on April 3, 1990, but by pointing to that criminal arrangement. Not only Western countries recognized themselves in September 1991, but also Russia.
During 50 years after 1941, they fought and kept this issue on the political agenda also through the representatives of those countries abroad. It is a clear lesson for us that we should never think that we can no longer solve this problem with the power of law. Speaking about this severe crisis that international law is experiencing today, I want to make a clear statement: the most gross violation of international law does not destroy that right.
The law remains the same, and fighting with the power of law and restoring justice is our task, for the Republic of Armenia, individual people, groups, society and authorities, if there is an election of such a government that will not fulfill the orders of the most murky globalist centers, in particular the brazen demands of Turkey and Azerbaijan, but will act with the power of law, showing Armenia's unique geographical position, which can really serve more positive, bright, enlightened purposes", concludes Larisa Alaverdyan.
Lusine Arakelyan
Details in today's issue of "Past" daily
