Naira Asryan, 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 displaced from Askeran region.

According to her, they were forced to relocate as a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2020.

“When we returned, there was no fear. We did not imagine such a thing, that the whole of Artsakh would be de-Armenized like Nakhichevan,” she said.

Our interlocutor said that they spent the nine months suring the blockade in fear.

“We lived somehow with what we had in our house.” We felt the main shortage in sugar and oil. We did not expect such a thing. We said ‘everything will be fine, the states will help.’ It didn’t happen so,” she said.

Mrs. Naira said that they were at Stepanakert airport from 19 to 25 September.

“We spent day and night there. On 25 September, we were told to get ready as we were going to leave. We went to our house in Askeran. We left on 26 September. We left everything there, took some clothes with us. We left a two-story house with everything. We left everything. Their goal was to make the Armenians to leave Artsakh. They achieved their goal,” she said.

She said that it would not be possible to return to Artsakh.

“Can you live when there is the enemy by your side? I don’t think so. I am not ready for that, I am not ready for integration. Only on the condition that they withdraw,” our interlocutor said.

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“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