Armenian soldier renouncing his citizenship
An Armenian soldier who voluntarily crossed over to
Azerbaijan last Wednesday is renouncing his citizenship.
"I want to be neither an Armenian soldier nor a representative of that nation," Karen Arutyunyan told the Baku-based ANS TV channel. "I am renouncing my Armenian citizenship. I request the Azerbaijani authorities to send me to a third country."
Arutyunyan said Armenians are unwilling to live under the current government.
"The situation in Armenia is currently very bad. The country`s population is facing deplorable living conditions. Anti-government rallies are being staged in Yerevan almost every day."
Arutyunyan, a 19-year-old soldier of the Armenian Defense Ministry`s infantry regiment, had been stopped by residents of a village in Azerbaijan`s western Gadabay district while trying to cross the contact line of the two countries` troops. The residents immediately informed police about their encounter. According to them, Arutyunyan said he had escaped from his military service due to unbearable conditions and torture in the Armenian military.
Two Armenian soldiers are currently held captive in Azerbaijan. Ohan Arutunyan, 18, and Gevorg Tomosyan, also 18, voluntarily crossed over to the Azerbaijani side on May 31. Paruyr Stepanian, who had been captured earlier, has already been transferred to a third country.
Armenia and Azerbaijan waged a war over the mountainous region of Upper Garabagh in the early 1990s, which claimed some 30,000 lives and displaced about one million Azerbaijanis. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally-recognized territory since then. The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but peace talks have been fruitless so far and sporadic clashes on the frontline continue.
"I want to be neither an Armenian soldier nor a representative of that nation," Karen Arutyunyan told the Baku-based ANS TV channel. "I am renouncing my Armenian citizenship. I request the Azerbaijani authorities to send me to a third country."
Arutyunyan said Armenians are unwilling to live under the current government.
"The situation in Armenia is currently very bad. The country`s population is facing deplorable living conditions. Anti-government rallies are being staged in Yerevan almost every day."
Arutyunyan, a 19-year-old soldier of the Armenian Defense Ministry`s infantry regiment, had been stopped by residents of a village in Azerbaijan`s western Gadabay district while trying to cross the contact line of the two countries` troops. The residents immediately informed police about their encounter. According to them, Arutyunyan said he had escaped from his military service due to unbearable conditions and torture in the Armenian military.
Two Armenian soldiers are currently held captive in Azerbaijan. Ohan Arutunyan, 18, and Gevorg Tomosyan, also 18, voluntarily crossed over to the Azerbaijani side on May 31. Paruyr Stepanian, who had been captured earlier, has already been transferred to a third country.
Armenia and Azerbaijan waged a war over the mountainous region of Upper Garabagh in the early 1990s, which claimed some 30,000 lives and displaced about one million Azerbaijanis. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally-recognized territory since then. The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but peace talks have been fruitless so far and sporadic clashes on the frontline continue.
Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention.
Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis.
By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more.
Subscribe
You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper
Thank you!