AUA Hosts Panel Discussion on Themes Related to Artsakh
2 min readYEREVAN, Armenia — On March 29, the American University of Armenia’s (AUA) Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Human Rights and Social Justice (HRSJ) programs hosted a panel discussion titled “Policies of Azerbaijan During the September 2023 Military Attacks on Artsakh; the Right to Return of Forcibly Displaced Armenians From Artsakh; Arbitrary Detention of Armenians in Azerbaijan; and the Border Security Challenges of Armenia.” The discussion was held in Armenian, with simultaneous English translation provided by undergraduate students in AUA’s English and Communications program.
The discussion was moderated by LL.M. Program Chair Adelaida Baghdasaryan and featured the following distinguished speakers: Arman Tatoyan, Professor and Interim Chair of the HRSJ program; Gegham Stepanyan (MPSIA ’16), Artsakh Ombudsman; Ara Ghazaryan, international expert and attorney; and Siranush Sahakyan, President of International and Comparative Law Center (IC LAW) and AUA lecturer.
Arman Tatoyan opened the discussion with a presentation of Azerbaijan’s military strategy during its September 2023 occupation of Artsakh. His detailed slides allowed the audience to visualize the offensive approach that resulted in the complete conquest of the region and subsequent forced displacement of 100,000 indigenous ethnic Armenians. He also presented Azerbaijani violations in bordering villages of Armenia on the example of Nerkin Hand village in Syunik Province. Next, Gegham Stepanyan took to the stage to explain the current circumstances in which forcibly displaced Artsakhtsis find themselves in the Republic of Armenia, citing statistics regarding the number of people who have found employment as well as reflecting on the rights and status conferred upon those who possess the Artsakh passport.
Ara Ghazaryan then discussed the legal avenues open to Armenia for pursuing justice in the international court system. Finally, Siranush Sahakyan provided an update on Armenia’s prisoners of war currently held in captivity in Azerbaijan and explained the difficulties in convincing the international community to place pressure on Azerbaijan in order to achieve the release of captives.
Following each panelist’s lecture, Baghdasaryan moderated a Q&A session with questions pulled from the audience during the presentations. Questions ranged from the attitudes Armenians should adopt toward Azerbaijani propaganda to the possibilities for former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan’s emancipation from his detainment in Baku.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
Media Coverage:
