Irina Arzoyan, forcibly displaced from the occupied Republic of Artsakh told in the framework of “Artsakh: Armenian Genocide 2023. Stories of Survivors” documentary project of Iravaban.net that she was also displaced in 2020 as a result of the 44-Day War unleashed by Azerbaijan.

“When we came returned, there was no fear. We knew that there are no Turks, and the Russians, speaking in quotes, will ensure our security. Our people of Karabakh were deceived by this. We returned with that thought. 90 percent of Artsakh was in sadness, our life during the blockade was extremely bad. That was also a stress. We stood in the queue for bread at nights, at three o’clock, it was an unbearable situation. Exhausted from hunger, we used to go and bring bread; if you would see that bread! Even the pigs would not eat it. There was a time when my husband and I did not eat so that my son could eat. There were days we starve,” Mrs. Irina said.

Despite the inhumane conditions that lasted for about nine months, she always hoped to stay in her homeland, Artsakh.

“I didn’t think that we would leave, or rather they would force us to leave Artsakh. Even now they say that we did not force them, they came out of their own free will. I did not expect that it would be like this, that Artsakh would be emptied in one day. On 19 September, it seemed as if the earth was shaking by that noise. We went down to the basement, the neighbors also came. They were shooting, as if it was hail. Blood freezes in us, it seemed we swallow our tongues, and our eyes darkened. My husband decides to take the women of the house to the airport of Stepanakert, because the air there, near the Russians was safe. Well, we agreed. Men stayed at home. We went to the airport, I will never forget that picture during the rest of my life. All lying on the floor. People from the villages had already come. That scene that I saw made me feel worse. My heart began to sink. Nobody gives us bread, there was no water. The Russians, who were stationed there did not even think to give bread. We spent that day as well. The next day we went home, but they kept on shooting. My father came and said: get ready, we are going. All people of the yard spilled out of the houses. The Turks were on top of the opposite mountain, but it seemed to us that they were already coming down. My sister called at night: its evacuation, get ready, everyone is leaving. On 26 September, at one o’clock in the morning, we left,” our interlocutor said.

Mrs. Irina mentioned that there was an incident when they crossed the Hakari Bridge.

“The Turk put his head inside the car, asked how many people there are, I said. He told my 28-year-old son to get out. There was a camera, he was walking looking at it. My blood froze inside me. I told my husband to drive fast so that we can get the child into the car. There is no guarantee of them, they can take someone every minute. My husband drove, I hugged my son, pulled him into the car and we left,” she said.

Mrs. Irina states that when they reached Goris, there was no place to stay anymore, they came to Artashat, and then they were taken to Tsaghkadzor and placed in one of the hotels.

According to her, they no longer trust the international community. They also do not imagine that they can reintegrate and live with Azerbaijanis in Artsakh.

“What I saw, I can’t stand it anymore. Every minute when there will be a knock on the door, my heart… I have no heart anyway. There is constant fear in me. I will think that the Turk has come. We have heard how many youmg boys were tortured in the forests. It was genocide, a real genocide?” Irina Arzoyan said.

“Artsakh: Armenian Genocide 2023. Stories of Survivors” documentary project of Iravaban.net is aimed at collecting the memories and testimonies of citizens forcibly displaced from Artsakh occupied by Azerbaijan, about the genocide of the Armenians of Artsakh committed by Azerbaijan, atrocities, the days of war, the path of deportation, etc.

Iravaban.net seeks help from citizens who will voluntarily agree to translate materials into different languages: Russian, English, French, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Georgian, Chinese…

You can write to our e-mail address at: [email protected]

To donate for realization of the project: https://iravaban.net/en/become-a-supporter

Details in the video.

Hasmik Sargsyan