Protesters at French National Assembly demand withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenia, release of POWs

French Armenians were joined by French politicians and public figures to protest against the violation of the Armenian border by Azerbaijan and to demand the release of Armenian prisoners of war, journalist Jean Eckian informs.

Speeches were delivered by several representatives of the French community at a rally in front of the National Assembly. Government spokesperson Gabriel Attal stressed that the the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, “was the first to say things clearly, which led to him being attacked by Turkish political leaders. We will continue to be on the offensive with major priorities: to uphold the integrity of Armenian territory which has suffered a new incursion in defiance of international law; to find a solution for the Armenian prisoners who are now detained in Azerbaijan in unbearable conditions,” he said.

Gabriel Attal added that the use of social networks to put pressure on families “is disgusting.” He concluded, “Today we want to move forward within the framework of the United Nations Security Council.”

Representatives of the Armenian community of France, Ara Toranian and Mourad Papazian spoke out vehemently against the inclinations of the Ankara-Baku axis of Pan-Turkism, which wishes the destruction of the Armenian people.

“Armenia faces the danger of death,” emphasized Ara Toranian. For him, in the current situation of violation of the integrity of Armenian territory, “this is a trap set in Armenia.” “Baku and Ankara are waiting for a response from Armenia to justify an attack and put the country to fire and blood,” said the CCAF (Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France) co-president.

French parliamentarians, Pierre Ouzoulias, Valérie Boyer, Danièle Cazarian, François Pupponi and Guy Tessier, president of the France-Artsakh Circle, denounced the atrocities committed on young Armenian soldiers, as well as the opening of the “trophy park” prohibited by international conventions. Guy Tessier called on the UN Security Council, the Minsk Group, the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairmanship and the Council of Europe to demand the immediate compliance by Azerbaijan to international humanitarian law.

Among the sentences uttered were “Azerbaijan organized trafficking in organs of Armenian corpses,” “Today we need more than words,” and “Armenia is the last democratic bulwark of Europe in the region.”