Harutyunyan’s words shatter Armenia’s longstanding narrative

Arayik Harutyunyan's testimony at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes was an admission of obvious facts that Armenia had been trying to hide for almost 30 years, Azerbaijani MP Vasif Gafarov told Report.

He recalled that it was Armenia that occupied about 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory and held it for almost three decades.

"In order to justify the occupation in the international arena, Armenia tried to present it as a struggle for the 'national self-determination' of Armenians. However, with his testimony in court, Harutyunyan actually exposed Armenia and its patrons, admitting that the occupation regime in Khankandi was created, financed and controlled by Yerevan," he said.

According to the MP, Harutyunyan also confirmed that it was the Armenian army that fought in Karabakh, subordinate to the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces.

"Arayik Harutyunyan's words are an announcement and recognition by the Armenians of the fact that the Azerbaijani territories were occupied by the Armenian army, and the so-called regime in Khankandi was completely controlled by Yerevan," Gafarov emphasized.

The parliamentarian added that it is Armenia that bears responsibility for the occupation and the losses inflicted on Azerbaijan, and it will not be able to evade this responsibility.

In the trial of Armenians accused of war crimes, Arayik Harutyunyan stated that Armenia was responsible for the security of Armenians in Karabakh, and the so-called 'Karabakh Defense Army' was part of the Armenian armed forces.