Within the framework of “The Role of the Legislature in the United States” Program, we met with Jackie Speier, a Member of the House of Representatives and Co-Chair of the House Committee on Armenian Affairs in Washington, DC. Taguhi Tovmasyan, an MP of the opposition "With Honor" Faction in the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia and Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, on Friday morning wrote this on Facebook.
“Mrs. Speier is one of the few congresswomen who regardless of the continuous intimidations by Azerbaijan, paid a visit to the Republic of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], also goes on with supporting the Armenians through her daily efforts, and I express my deep gratitude to Mrs. Speier.
The discussion was again about the rights of the Armenians, living in Artsakh, blatantly violated as a consequence of Azerbaijan's coordinated genocidal policy. I presented Mrs. Speier the results of the fact-finding activities, gained through my visit to Artsakh:
1. Azerbaijan forcibly displaces the Armenians living in Artsakh through the threat of psychological pressure and force;
2. Azerbaijan is resorting to provocations in Artsakh, where the Russian military is carrying out a peacekeeping mission, making use of the Russia-Ukrainian war;
3. On March 24, 2022, the Azeris invaded Artsakh’s Parukh community and adjacent positions and settled there. As a result, 4 servicemen were killed and 18 were wounded.
4. Azerbaijan deliberately cut off gas supply to about 100,000 people in Artsakh, including children, women, the elderly, the sick, even the schools, as well as hospitals and productions, as a result of which a humanitarian crisis appeared in Artsakh.
5. Azerbaijan regularly fires on border settlements, targeting the civilians. Because of such criminal actions, the normal life of the Armenians living in Artsakh was disrupted, other fundamental rights, as the right to life and living a peaceful life, the right to property were violated.
We also discussed the possibility of the realization of the right of the people of Artsakh to
self-determination. During the conversation, I respectfully urged the congresswoman to work out clear mechanisms against Azerbaijan and draw the world's attention to Artsakh and Armenia, as silence leads to irreversible consequences, witnessed in Artsakh and on the borders of Armenia now. Azerbaijan continues to occupy the pastures of a number of border communities of Armenia,” the Armenian MP added.
