Artsakh parliament speaker decries nullification of Yerevan office ownership

The speaker of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) parliament has denounced a ruling by Armenia’s Administrative Court that annulled the state registration of Artsakh’s ownership rights to a building in Yerevan, calling the move “disgraceful, unlawful and immoral.”

In a statement released on Wednesday, Speaker Ashot Danielyan said the decision undermines the symbolic presence of Artsakh’s institutions and the rights of displaced Karabakh Armenians. He argued that the Artsakh Representation Office is more than property — it embodies Artsakh’s statehood and serves as a focal point for efforts to defend rights reaffirmed by international law and the International Court of Justice in November 2023.

Danielyan alleged that the ruling was deliberately timed to coincide with Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections, accusing the authorities of attempting to avoid scrutiny. He described the decision as part of a broader pattern of government conduct, including the disruption of peace negotiations, violation of international law through the surrender of Artsakh to Azerbaijan, propagation of hatred and discrimination against Artsakh Armenians and persecution of displaced residents unwilling to accept the loss of their homeland.

“The Artsakh Representation Office cannot become the subject of dirty deals or political bargaining,” Danielyan said, vowing that such measures would not break the will of the Artsakh people to restore their statehood and return to their homeland.

He called on Armenians in Armenia and the diaspora to raise their voices in protest, urging institutions and compatriots to defend Artsakh’s inalienable rights.