Former Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan held a meeting with Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, head of the Diocese of Artsakh, and Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, representative of the Armenian Diocese of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

In a Facebook post, Tatoyan shared that they discussed issues concerning the rights of residents in Armenia’s border communities. He presented findings from a fact-finding mission conducted in Syunik’s villages on April 12–13. The conversation also covered the preservation of religious and cultural heritage and ongoing cooperation with international organizations.

“We addressed matters concerning the rights of Armenia’s border residents. I presented the findings of our latest fact-finding mission in Syunik’s villages from April 12–13, as well as issues related to the protection of spiritual and cultural heritage, and collaboration with international bodies. We also discussed the rights of people from Artsakh and matters concerning the Armenian prisoners and hostages unlawfully held in Azerbaijan,” Tatoyan stated.

He emphasized the importance of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s Diaspora dioceses in defending national rights and presenting a unified voice on international platforms.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Artsakh, subjecting the region to intense artillery fire. A day later, on September 20, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh accepted a ceasefire proposal from the Russian peacekeeping mission and agreed to Baku’s terms, including disarmament and the dissolution of the Republic. Starting September 24, a mass forced displacement of the population began, with over 100,000 people fleeing to Armenia. As of some reports, around 20 Armenians remained in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree to dissolve the Republic of Artsakh, effective January 1, 2024.