YEREVAN (Realist English). The “Ashkharazhokhov” Pan-Armenian Movement has appealed to US President Donald Trump, calling on him to secure the release of Armenian Christian prisoners from Baku’s prisons and ensure access to shrines for the indigenous Armenian residents of Artsakh, who, between 2020 and 2023, were subjected to ethnic cleansing and forced deportation from their homeland by the occupying Baku regime.
“Dear Mr. President Trump,
We, the members of the “Ashkharazhokhov” Pan-Armenian Movement, are addressing you to call for urgent intervention in the egregious humanitarian and religious situation in the South Caucasus.
As you have rightly noted on numerous occasions, protecting Christian populations around the world from persecution is a moral duty of the free world. It is in this context that we draw your attention to the fate of Armenian Christians languishing in Baku’s prisons and the indigenous residents of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), who are deprived of access to their centuries-old Christian shrines for pilgrimage.
Illegally Held Armenian Prisoners: Following Azerbaijan’s military aggression in the autumn of 2023 and the subsequent ethnic cleansing, dozens of Armenians, including former civilian leaders, military personnel, and ordinary residents, remain hostages of the Baku regime. Their imprisonment is unlawful and serves as a tool for political blackmail and pressure. These people are Christians, and their freedom is a matter of fundamental justice.
Access to Christian Shrines in Artsakh: The land of Artsakh is the cradle of Armenian Christianity and a shared Christian heritage, home to unique monasteries, churches, and khachkars preserved for millennia.
After the forced deportation of the entire indigenous Armenian population, access to these shrines for Armenians themselves and clergy has been completely blocked due to the racism and fascism displayed by the occupying Baku regime.
We are witnessing systematic attempts to destroy Armenian cultural and religious heritage, which is a direct attack on the Christian faith.
Prior to the occupation of Artsakh (2020-2023), 93 churches, monasteries, and chapels were built and restored within the local diocese. However, as a result of the forced deportation, the indigenous Armenian inhabitants of the region have lost access to their shrines, which Baku illegally labels as “Albanian”.
Henceforth, everything Armenian is being declared “Albanian”, a claim without any historical foundation. Moreover, Azerbaijanis themselves cannot be considered the successors of Albanian culture: Caucasian Albania or Aghvank was a state that emerged in the first half of the 1st century BC based on a union of 26 tribes, which are genetically unrelated to modern Azerbaijanis or Turks (who did not exist at that time). Albania had close allied ties with Armenia, experiencing its political and cultural influence.
Mr. President, your firm stance on protecting persecuted Christians in Nigeria and other parts of the world gives us hope. We earnestly ask you to use your considerable influence and apply the same principle regarding Azerbaijan.
We call on you to:
- Publicly demand that the Azerbaijani authorities immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian captives and illegally detained persons.
- Exert maximum diplomatic pressure on the Baku regime to ensure unimpeded and safe access for the indigenous Armenian population, clergy, and international observers to the Christian shrines in Artsakh.
- Make it clear that further US relations with Azerbaijan must be directly linked to its adherence to human rights, including freedom of religion and the rights of the indigenous people.
Time is of the essence. Without your intervention, there is a real threat of the complete eradication of the ancient Christian presence in Artsakh and the continued unjust imprisonment of innocent people.
We believe in your ability to champion justice and protect the oppressed”.
Respectfully, Sarkis Tsaturyan, Founder of the “Ashkharazhokhov” Movement
