''The right of the people of Artsakh to a collective and safe return is non-negotiable''. Gagik Bagunts

Statement by Gagik Bagunts, Acting President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh, on the Occasion of the Third Anniversary of the Azerbaijani Military Aggression and the Forcible Displacement of the People of Artsakh
Three years ago on this day, on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan—in blatant violation of all norms of international law and its commitments under the Trilateral Statement of 2020—unleashed a large-scale military aggression against the Republic of Artsakh, which had already been exhausted by a blockade lasting more than nine months.
This war crime, accompanied by deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure and the slaughter of peaceful civilians, marked the culmination of a pre-planned policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh, who have inhabited this land for millennia. In the face of the international community's silence and the lack of effective mechanisms, more than 120,000 Artsakh Armenians were forced to abandon their ancestral homeland to escape physical annihilation.
On this tragic day, we bow our heads before the luminous memory of all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the defense of the homeland. Their valor and self-sacrifice remain the eternal testament to our people's honor and dignity.
The past three years have not diminished, and cannot diminish, our inherent rights or our steadfast commitment to defending them.
Therefore, on behalf of the people of Artsakh, I reaffirm:
• The right of the people of Artsakh to a collective and safe return is non-negotiable. It must be realized under reliable international guarantees, with the complete safeguarding of our people’s fundamental rights and freedoms.
• The immediate release of the military-political leadership of Artsakh and all our fellow compatriots unlawfully held in Baku prisons on fabricated charges must remain a paramount priority for the international community.
• The destruction and appropriation of the Armenian historical and cultural heritage in occupied Artsakh represent a continuation of cultural genocide, demanding urgent intervention and preventive action by the international community.
• Addressing the vital needs of the Artsakh Ar.