An anti-crisis council under the presidency of Arayik Harutyunyan was established on Thursday, and its charter was approved by the president's decree.

The Livingston Group, a well-known anti-Armenian lobbying firm which represented Turkey and Azerbaijan, is now representing a new political organization in Armenia. This organization has ties to the police station terrorist attack that resulted in the murder of 3 Armenian police officers. Recently published documents from the US State Department reveal that the Livingston Group is working with the National Democratic Axis (NDA), an affiliate of Sasna Tsrer/Bever to establish ties with US officials.

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Gegham Stepanyan, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh, met with the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, who is on a working visit to Armenia.

Gegham Stepanyan addressed the issue of ethnic cleansing policy pursued by Azerbaijan after the ceasefire was established on November 9, 2020, providing specific facts and examples of crimes committed by the Azerbaijani side. The Ombudsman presented the humanitarian consequences of the four-month-long illegal blockade by Azerbaijan and the widespread violations of the rights of the people of Artsakh.

The Ombudsman emphasized the need to restore the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, send a fact-finding group to Artsakh, and establish a permanent presence there. The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk, also participated in the meeting.

Today, relatives of the fallen soldiers from the 2020 Artsakh Artsakh War protested at the Investigative Committee of Armenia. A large police presence was deployed to the area, with many officers forming a barrier to prevent the protesters from approaching the RA IC building. The parents of the fallen soldiers closed Mamikonyants street.

It is worth noting that today, relatives of the fallen soldiers began a 24-hour sit-in in front of the Investigative Committee building, demanding immediate accountability for the 12 police officers who physically injured the parents of the fallen soldiers at "Yerablur" on September 21. Currently, no police officer has been charged.

On September 21, 2022, police officers used violence against the parents of soldiers killed in the 2020 Artsakh war at the "Yerablur" Military Pantheon. Confrontations between police officers and the parents occurred during this incident.

UPDATE: Detained Azerbaijani terrorist, transferred from the police to the NSS.

In Artsakh, the Deputy Director of the National Security Service and the Head of the Main Information Department of the Presidential Administration have been dismissed from their positions.

Hunan Hayrumyan has been dismissed from the position of Deputy Director of the National Security Service of the Republic of Artsakh due to a transfer to another job.

Vahram Poghosyan has voluntarily resigned from the position of the Head of the Main Information Department of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Artsakh - Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration.

A serviceman of the N military unit of the RA Ministry of Defense received a gunshot wound.

On April 13, according to preliminary data, a serviceman of the N military unit of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia H.S. received a gunshot wound from the weapon assigned to him.

The health condition of the serviceman is assessed as stably severe.

On April 14, 1992, Artur Mkrtchyan, the first Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Artsakh Republic and a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), was assassinated. A historian-ethnographer, statesman, and politician, he dedicated his life to the liberation of Artsakh.

Artur Mkrtchyan was born in 1959 in the village of Ukhtadzor in the Hadrut District. After completing his studies in history and ethnography in Yerevan and Moscow, he returned to his hometown to work as the director of the Hadrut Historical-Geological Museum and to serve the community.

When the Artsakh movement started, Artur Mkrtchyan became an active participant, being one of nine people to sign the first letter to Gorbachev about Artsakh's independence. After the decisive rally in Hadrut on February 12, 1988, Artur Mkrtchyan's path as one of the most influential leaders of the national liberation movement began. During this time, he joined the ARF.

Artur Mkrtchyan emphasized the significance of diplomacy in not only securing international recognition for the Artsakh Republic but also in highlighting the true nature of the conflict as a struggle for national liberation rather than an inter-ethnic war. Artur held unwavering political views and believed that politics should not be influenced by personal interests. He sought maximum national unity.

On January 8, 1992, Artur Mkrtchyan was elected as the first chairman of the Supreme Council of the Artsakh Republic. With the vision of an independent Artsakh, Artur's goal was to prepare the people for the national liberation struggle. Under his leadership, several areas of Artsakh, including Ajapnyak and Krkzhan, Ivanyan, and a number of Hadrut villages, were liberated.

Artur Mkrtchyan was in office for only 97 days. He was assassinated in his apartment in Stepanakert under mysterious circumstances on April 14, 1992. The circumstances of his death remain undisclosed. In 2001, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Artsakh.

Today, the flag of Azerbaijan was set on fire and removed from the stage during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship.

The 2023 European Weightlifting Championship will be held from April 15 to 23 in Yerevan. The championship is a ranking for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The representatives of Azerbaijan also participate in the championship.

📸: Photolure

UPDATE: Aram Nikolyan detained and in police custody for burning Azerbaijan’s flag

Today, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the National Olympic Committee have issued a joint statement noting that Azerbaijani athletes would not participate in the championship following an incident where the country’s flag was set on fire during the opening ceremony on April 14.

In response, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia released a statement about Azerbaijan’s decision to withdraw their athletes from the European Weightlifting Championship held in Yerevan from April 15-23 and said it is ‘’a matter of concern from the perspective of sports ethics’’.

‘’The Republic of Armenia has ensured all safety standards and there have been no issues related to the safety of the weightlifters who arrived in Yerevan to participate in the championship,’’ the Ministry mentioned in the statement.

‘’The incident that occurred during the opening ceremony, which was quickly resolved, is not related to the safety of the athletes and the ability to conduct fair competitions. All necessary conditions have been fully provided,’’ the Ministry added.

‘’The Republic of Armenia remains committed to fulfilling its commitments to the International Weightlifting Federation and reaffirms its readiness to hold the championship at a high level in 2023,’’ the Ministry concluded.

Yesterday, during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship, designer Aram Nikolyan set the flag of Azerbaijan on fire and removed it from the stage.

According to Sputnik Armenia, the work of the Sotk mine was stopped due to the Azerbaijani shelling.

GeoPromining Gold company informed Sputnik Armenia that yesterday from 19:00-23:00 and from 8:00 this morning, the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire at the mine.
There are no shots now, but the employees have been evacuated for safety reasons. There are no casualties.

On April 15th, 12 patients from Artsakh were transferred to various specialized medical centres in Armenia with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

8 patients who were sent to Armenia for treatment as part of a government contract have returned to Artsakh.

Starting from December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan blocked the Stepanakert-Goris highway at the Shushi-Karin Tak intersection.

Arthur Davtyan, a member of the Armenian gymnastics team and a holder of Olympic bronze and world championship titles, has now claimed the European champion title twice.

During the final of the pommel horse event at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships held in the city of Antalya, Turkey, Davtyan scored 15.033 points, securing first place.

Previously, in 2021, Davtyan had also claimed the title of European champion, but in the horse exercise event.

BREAKING: After the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championship, the flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan, hung in the Karen Demirchyan Sport Complex, were torn.

On April 14, during the opening ceremony of the 2023 European Weightlifting Championship held in Yerevan from April 15 to 23, designer Aram Nikolyan set the flag of Azerbaijan on fire and removed it from the stage.

Azerbaijan decided not to participate in the championship due to the incident.