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President Arayik Harutyunyan of the Artsakh Republic issued a message on the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide marked annually on April 24. His full message is provided below.

“Dear compatriots,

Every year on April 24, we nationally remember and commemorate the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide, our 1.5 million holy martyrs who fell victim to the Turkish scimitar just because they were Armenians.

This monstrous crime against humanity has no statute of limitations. And until it is recognized and condemned by the entire civilized world, we may witness new manifestations of it in the whole world.

Today, Artsakh is facing new and real dangers of the Turkish-Azerbaijani anti-Armenian and genocidal policy. 108 years after the Genocide, Armenians continue to wage an existential struggle to live freely and independently in their homeland, to protect their rights and freedoms, national interest and dignity.

By keeping the 120,000 civilian population of Artsakh, tens of thousands of children and the elderly under blockade for 134 days, violating all the norms and principles of international law, ignoring appeals of the international community and the decision of the UN International Court of Justice, the dictatorial authorities of Azerbaijan are trying to force our people to knees.

However, we are adamant and determined to keep Artsakh always Armenian and unassailable. We have no alternative. Armenians cannot lose their homeland again, become an exile and scatter around the world. We must learn from the past and jointly build the future of the Armenian people, today and here.

The moment is fateful, there is a question of existence not only for Artsakh, but also for the Armenian statehood. Today more than ever we need to turn words into action. It is the moment of national responsibility, dignity, and demand to stand by Artsakh and prevent new national tragedies and failures.

Therefore, relying on the Motherland, the world-wide Armenians and foreign friends, we ask and urge all organizations and compassionate persons to use all possible toolkits in defense of the people of Artsakh, for the sake of Armenian national interests and universal human values.

May God protect the Armenian nation!”