Beglaryan: Artsakh people's right to return inalienable

The Artsakh people's right to return to their homeland is inalienable and non-negotiable and cannot depend on the political will of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, former Artsakh Human Rights Defender Artak Beglaryan states.

In a statement responding to Pashinyan’s “latest anti-Artsakh remarks” on Friday, Beglaryan stressed that the Karabakh movement remains relevant as long as the people of Artsakh exist and their rights require protection.

“The Artsakh movement cannot be closed as long as the people of Artsakh and the need to defend their rights continue to exist,” he said.

Beglaryan emphasized that many displaced Artsakh Armenians continue to express a desire to return to their homes, making the issue a fundamental rights matter rather than a political preference.

“The right of the Artsakh people to return is inalienable and non-negotiable,” he said, adding that while the existence of that right does not depend on the will of Armenia’s leadership, its practical implementation remains influenced by political realities.

At the same time, Beglaryan acknowledged that under current internal and international conditions, the immediate return of Artsakh Armenians is unrealistic. Until conditions change, he outlined several medium-term priorities that he believes must be addressed.

Among the most urgent tasks, Beglaryan highlighted the need to ensure dignified living conditions for displaced Artsakh Armenians in Armenia, including housing, employment opportunities, stable income and psychological support. He argued that such measures are essential not only for protecting the rights of the displaced population but also for enabling them to contribute to Armenia’s development.

He also called for strengthening the legal and political foundations of the right of return, maintaining the issue on the international agenda and developing international mechanisms that could eventually facilitate the safe return of Artsakh Armenians.

Another priority, he said, is the protection of cultural heritage and property in territories now under Azerbaijani control, warning that monuments, cultural sites and private assets risk destruction or appropriation.

Beglaryan further stressed the importance of securing the release of Armenian prisoners and hostages and clarifying the fate of those who remain missing.

He also emphasized preserving and strengthening Artsakh’s political and public institutions, describing them as key pillars for maintaining collective identity and organizing future efforts to defend the rights of the displaced population.

In addition, he called for international and domestic investigations into the ethnic cleansing and displacement of the Artsakh population, with the goal of identifying responsible actors and ensuring accountability.

Addressing narratives that compare the potential return of Artsakh Armenians with the “return” of Azerbaijanis, Beglaryan rejected the comparison as misleading and politically motivated. He noted that the Artsakh Unity movement had previously published detailed arguments and documentation disputing such claims.

Beglaryan concluded by accusing the Ilham Aliyev regime of pursuing policies aimed at undermining the statehood of Armenia and threatening the existence and identity of the Armenian people. According to him, these policies will persist regardless of the scale of concessions made by the Armenian authorities.

In that context, he argued that attempts to pursue a “romanticized vision of peace” without addressing Azerbaijan’s policies risk producing no positive outcome.