Lawyer Roman Yeritsyan wrote on Facebook that after moving to Yerevan, the President of the Republic of Artsakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, signed a new decree that officially annuls the September 26, 2023 decree dissolving Artsakh.

Yeritsyan noted that Shahramanyan formally notified the Armenian authorities of this decision via official correspondence.

“Dear compatriots, I am confident that many of you understand the reasons behind President Samvel Shahramanyan’s decree to dissolve the second Armenian republic. Some also recognize that no official, including a head of state, has the authority to dissolve a country through a decree.

Nevertheless, various public circles have continued to exploit the decree—even though it never took legal effect—labeling Shahramanyan as the president who dissolved Artsakh.

Moreover, citing the decree’s contents, various individuals in Armenia, including leaders and council members of Artsakh’s communities, have faced criminal charges, with the rationale being that Artsakh and its communities have been dissolved, and thus any actions performed by officials are punishable by law.

To clarify this issue and prevent further misinterpretations, especially for those who took the dissolution decree seriously, President Samvel Shahramanyan issued another decree after relocating to Yerevan, which invalidates the September 26, 2023 dissolution order.

Shahramanyan has officially informed the Armenian government of this new decree.

Although neither the original dissolution decree nor this new one has any legal force—both contradict the Constitution of Artsakh and higher legal norms, and never took effect—they cannot produce any legal consequences. Nevertheless, I am publishing Presidential Decree No. 659 to urge everyone to stop referring to Artsakh as ‘dissolved.’

I also remind you that for nearly 30 years, Azerbaijan had mayors in Shushi, Aghdam, and other areas, so do not consider the chapter of Artsakh closed due to territorial losses. We will reclaim what is ours,” Yeritsyan wrote.

Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military assault on Artsakh on September 19, 2023, subjecting the entire territory to massive shelling. On September 20, Artsakh authorities accepted a Russian peacekeeping proposal to cease fire under Baku’s conditions, including the disarmament of the Artsakh Defense Army and the dissolution of the republic. Mass displacement began on September 24, with over 100,000 Armenians forcibly relocated to Armenia. According to some reports, only about 40 Armenians remain in Artsakh. On September 28, President Shahramanyan signed the dissolution decree, which was set to take effect on January 1, 2024.