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northFollowing the highly controversial ceasefire with Azerbaijan in Armenia, the Armenian opposition leader Artur Vanetsyan has been arrested for alleged assassination and coup plans against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. According to his lawyers, Vanetsyan was summoned to the headquarters of the security forces and detained on Saturday. The lawyers described the arrest of the opposition leader and former intelligence chief as the “persecution” of political opponents and denied the accusation that he planned the assassination of the prime minister and take power.
In addition to Vanetsyan’s arrest, the Armenian security forces announced the arrest of another suspect “with opinions contrary to the government.” A great arsenal of weapons had been found there. In consultation with anti-government politicians and their supporters, the man had planned an attempt to assassinate a public figure with the aim of seizing power. Ten opposition politicians who had mobilized against Pashinyan were arrested on Thursday. The accusations referred to “organizing mass riots”.
Pashinyan does not want to leave vacant positions
Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a truce in Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday after six weeks of heavy fighting under Russian mediation. The agreement stipulates that Baku can retain the territories conquered in the war that belong to Azerbaijan under international law. In addition, Armenia is losing other occupied territories bordering Nagornyj Karabakh that Azerbaijan had not yet regained. Almost two thousand soldiers of a Russian peacekeeping force will ensure the fulfillment of the armistice. The agreement sparked outrage in Armenia, and for days there have been repeated protests against Pashinyan, who is denounced as a “traitor”. Last week, thousands of protesters called for his resignation; he had passed an ultimatum from the opposition.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan gave Armenia an extension of time to withdraw from one of the border regions with Nagornyj Karabakh. Instead of what was originally planned on Sunday, Armenia will not have to hand over the area until November 25, the presidential office in Baku said. Armenia justified the delay with the fact that only one road could be used for withdrawal. Earlier, there were reports that Armenians left their homes before Azerbaijani troops approached, and some of them were set on fire. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that 200 people had returned to Nagornyi Karabakh’s “capital” Stepanakert after the fighting ended.
