The Armenian Report Documents Protests in Armenia’s Tavush Province | April 25, 2024
The Armenian Report team, comprising reporters Ani Khachatryan and Ani Gevorgyan, is currently stationed in Tavush, diligently capturing the unfolding events in the region. Their focus lies on interviewing local residents and documenting the road closures and protests in the region.
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Thursday, April 25, witnessed a resurgence of protests in Tavush following the solemn observance of April 24, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. Emotions ran high, particularly at a critical road junction near Armenia’s primary border crossing with Georgia at Bagratashen, situated within the northern Tavush province bordering Azerbaijan.
Throughout the day, tensions escalated as riot police clashed repeatedly with local residents expressing their discontent over the government's decision to cede four contested border areas to Azerbaijan. MP Garnik Danielyan, an opposition lawmaker actively involved in the protests, collapsed during one of the confrontations and was promptly rushed to a nearby hospital.
Despite the intense protests, security forces refrained from intervening at the epicenter of the demonstrations, located along a section of the Bagratashen-Yerevan road adjacent to the Tavush village of Kirants. This road segment is among the four disputed border areas slated for transfer to Baku as part of the Armenian government's partial delimitation efforts.
Residents of Kirants also barricaded the Kirants bridge amid rumors of impending demining operations. These actions reflect the deep-rooted resistance among local communities against the perceived surrender of their homeland to Azerbaijan.
Many residents fear the consequences of the unilateral handover, expressing concerns about losing access to agricultural land, facing communication challenges, and heightened vulnerability to Azerbaijani military incursions. Such sentiments contradict Prime Minister Pashinyan’s assertions that failure to comply with Baku's territorial demands could provoke further aggression from Azerbaijan.
Furthermore, protests led to temporary blockades of key highways in multiple parts of the country, as well as disruptions in downtown Yerevan. In one instance, traffic flow was obstructed by vehicles belonging to two young men.
Despite the ongoing unrest, the delimitation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan continued unabated. In a late-afternoon statement, Pashinyan’s press office announced the placement of 20 border posts delineating the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier, with expert groups from both countries continuing their work.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev disclosed earlier in the day that approximately "10-12 kilometers" of the border had already been demarcated. However, Baku has steadfastly refused to concede any territory to Armenia throughout the delimitation process, further exacerbating tensions between the neighboring nations.
