Young people beaten by police. A person’s head cut off. Murders. And not just any killings—brutal massacres, including the deaths of her seven children. She’s seen it all. She has feared for her own life as she became the subject of government harassment and death threats, forcing her to flee her country with nothing but a pair of trousers.
On April 24, 2016, the Armenian community of Canada came together in Ottawa to commemorate the 101 st year of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. The commemoration started with speeches at Ottawa’s Parliament Hill near the building of the Canadian Parliament, and continued to the Turkish Embassy, where speakers addressed the Embassy with their demand for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh Republic) Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) has published a report on atrocities committed by Azerbaijani Armed Forces against the civilian population of the NKR and the servicemen of the NKR Defense Army during the period of 2-5April 2016. As 168.am was informed from the press service of NKR Ombudsman, the announcement reads as follows,,
Artsakh Armenians have chosen the path of building their own destiny in accordance with democratic principles. This was said by the Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan during a press conference in Stepanakert.
“I gave the order to the commander of the Defense Army, lieutenant-general Levon Mnatsakanyan instead of organizing resistance, to take measures to stop the enemy’s actions, aiming to pursue the enemy and destroy its manpower and equipment”.
The very fact that at this difficult moment I am here is more than just a testimony to the importance which Armenia attaches to the bilateral relations as well as to Germany’s role as the country presiding in the OSCE,” said the President of Armenia.
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan had a phone conversation with the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, presiding country in bodies of the Eurasian Economic Union, Karim Massimov at the initiative of the latter. The Head of the Government of Kazakhstan suggested PM Abrahamyan rearranging the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting, planned to be held in Yerevan on April 8, to Moscow, in relation to which the Head of the Government of the Republic of Armenia mentioned that there are no serious reasons for the rearrangement. Mr. Abrahamyan also mentioned that if other Prime Ministers decide to hold the meeting in Moscow, he will give extra information about his participation.
On our way to Karabakh, we learned that an Azerbaijani military helicopter had been shot down on April 2nd. It is easier for print journalists – dry official information is enough to complete a newspaper page. For a photographer it is more complicated. One cannot take pictures from the comfort of a hotel. A photographer should be on the scene.
As a result of the Azerbaijani unleashed large-scale military operations and attacks, as of April 4, 11:00, Artsakh sustained 20 casualties. 26 soldiers are missing in action. This was stated during the press conference in Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
The Azerbaijani army has lost 18 tanks, 2 helicopters, 6 infantry fighting vehicles and other military equipment. According to the NKR estimates, the Azerbaijani military has 300 casualties. told during the press meeting in the NKR.