A rally has started in Stepanakert's Renaissance Square in the morning to present the problems of Nagorno-Karabakh and the humanitarian crisis created as a result of Azerbaijan's aggressive actions to the international community. The rally was also attended by President Arayik Harutyunyan, State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan, Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan and other high-ranking officials. Some speeches were in English and Russian to make the message of the rally clear to the world. The participants stated that they will not give up Nagorno-Karabakh and consider living there not only a right, but also a duty. State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan announced that the rallies will continue.
Gurgen Nersisyan (State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh) - Before your eyes, the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) have gone through the most difficult problems, and now these problems have taken on a sharper and deeper picture, which is already intolerable, therefore, on behalf of the people of Artsakh, we ask and demand to ensure the safety of our people, to ensure the fulfillment of the obligations undertaken by the parties in the trilateral statement, to unblock the corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia, to ensure the unhindered flow of people, vehicles and cargo. Create conditions to ensure a normal standard of living for people in Artsakh. The situation in Artsakh is dire and getting worse hour by hour. Days later we will have irreversible consequences. The 30,000 children of Artsakh cannot be the victims of any conflict or a bargaining platform. This is a problem, the only way to solve it is to recognize the security and rights of the people living in Artsakh, including the right to self-determination, as a priority value.
The participants of the rally marched from Stepanakert to the airport, the location of the Russian peacekeepers. The demonstrators made a statement demanding the peacekeepers to open the way to life, then their delegation met with the commander of the peacekeeping troop Alexander Lentsov. After the meeting, Minister of State Gurgen Nersisyan announced that the residents of Askeran participating in the meeting will stay in tents near the military station of the peacekeepers, and the rest will return to Stepanakert's Renaissance Square, where the rally will continue.
