2023 Armenian protests

{{Infobox civil conflict

| title = 2023 Armenian protests

| partof = the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and the aftermath of the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh

| image = 2023 Russian embassy protest in Yerevan.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = Protesters holding flag of Artsakh
near the Russian embassy in Yerevan, Armenia

| date = 19 September 2023 – 28 September 2023
({{age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=9|day1=19|year1=2023|month2=9|day2=28|year2=2023}})

| place = {{flag|Armenia}}: Yerevan

| goals = Resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
Intervention in the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh

| methods = Demonstrations, civil unrest, street blockades, sit-ins, student protest, general strike

| status = Ended, see Aftermath

| side1 = {{flagicon|Armenia}} Protesters

Mother Armenia Alliance

Supported by:

{{Flagicon|Russia}} Russia{{Cite web |url=https://lansinginstitute.org/2023/09/22/russia-will-compensate-for-damage-from-inaction-in-karabakh-by-toppling-pashinyan-in-armenia-within-next-three-days/ |title=Russia will compensate for damage from inaction in Karabakh by toppling Pashinyan in Armenia within next three days - Robert Lansing Institute |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2023-09-23 |archive-date=2023-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923055808/https://lansinginstitute.org/2023/09/22/russia-will-compensate-for-damage-from-inaction-in-karabakh-by-toppling-pashinyan-in-armenia-within-next-three-days/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/armenia-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh-coup-yerevan-russia-pashinyan-putin/ |title=Armenia says farewell to Russia. But is it too soon? |access-date=2023-09-23 |archive-date=2023-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923055809/https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/armenia-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh-coup-yerevan-russia-pashinyan-putin/ |url-status=live}}
(denied by Russia){{Cite news |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/nagorno-karabakh-pashinian-armenia-azerbaijan-humanitarian-aid/32604471.html |title=Scores of Detentions Reported in Yerevan as Protesters Aim to Oust Armenian Prime Minister |newspaper=Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty |access-date=2023-09-22 |archive-date=2023-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922111406/https://www.rferl.org/a/nagorno-karabakh-pashinian-armenia-azerbaijan-humanitarian-aid/32604471.html |url-status=live}}

| side2 = {{Flagicon|Armenia}} {{resize|98%|Armenian government}}

{{flagicon image|Civil Contract Armenia flag.svg}} Civil Contract
United Labour Party
20px Armenian police
20px NSS

| leadfigures1 = No centralised leadership

| leadfigures2 = {{Flagicon|Armenia}} Nikol Pashinyan
{{flagicon image|Flag of the President of Armenia.svg}} Vahagn Khachaturyan
{{Flagicon|Armenia}} Vahe Ghazaryan

| injuries = 30+ people

| detentions = 84 people

}}

On 19 September 2023, a series of protests began in Armenia following a military offensive launched by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, which resulted in a swift Azerbaijani victory over the ethnic Armenian breakaway republic of Artsakh. The republic had been heavily backed by Armenia until a change in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's policy towards the region in recent years.{{Cite web |last=Mejlumyan |first=Ani |date=16 April 2022 |title=Officials In Karabakh Break With Armenia Over Negotiations |url=https://www.eurasiareview.com/16042022-officials-in-karabakh-break-with-armenia-over-negotiations/ |website=Eurasia Review}} The government of Azerbaijan compelled the separatist authorities in Artsakh to surrender, disband the Artsakh Defence Army and begin negotiations regarding their reintegration within Azerbaijan.{{Cite web |last=Gigova |first=Tim Lister, Anna Chernova, Christian Edwards, Radina |date=2023-09-20 |title=Azerbaijan says it has retaken breakaway Armenian enclave after separatists surrender |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/asia/nagorno-karabakh-russia-ceasefire-intl/index.html |access-date=2023-09-25 |website=CNN |language=en}} In response, protests erupted in Armenia accusing Pashinyan of mismanaging the crisis and abandoning Artsakh, demanding that he step down.{{Cite news |date=2023-09-20 |title=Armenia protests follow Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66870061 |access-date=2023-09-25}} Pashinyan has characterized the protests as an attempt to unlawfully remove him from power.

The pro-Western National Democratic Alliance blamed the situation on Russia's failure to intervene, while members of the pro-Russian political opposition blamed Pashinyan for the defeat and accused him of betraying Nagorno-Karabakh's residents "in favor of the interests of the West."{{Cite news|last=Ponomarev|first=Kirill|title=Nagorno-Karabakh Crisis Deepens Divides in Armenia Toward Russia|work=Moscow Times|date=28 September 2023|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/09/28/nagorno-karabakh-crisis-deepens-divides-in-armenia-toward-russia-a82586|access-date=29 September 2023|archive-date=29 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929043604/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/09/28/nagorno-karabakh-crisis-deepens-divides-in-armenia-toward-russia-a82586|url-status=live}} On 3 October, the National Assembly of Armenia voted 60-22 in favor of ratifying the Rome Statute, which would enable Armenia to join the International Criminal Court. The measure was signed into law by President Vahagn Khachaturyan on 14 October.{{Cite news |title=Armenian president signs ratification of ICC membership despite Moscow's ire |work=France 24 |date=14 October 2023 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20231014-armenian-president-signs-ratification-of-icc-membership-despite-moscow-s-ire |access-date=14 October 2023 }}

Background

The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was an ethnically Armenian-majority autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, itself a constituent republic of the Soviet Union. Karabakh Armenians remained outside of the Armenian SSR and resented incorporation into Soviet Azerbaijan on account of historical enmity between the two peoples and discriminatory policies.{{Cite web |last=Starovoytova |first=Galina |date=5 September 2015 |title=Sovereignty After Empire: Self-Determination Movements in the Former Soviet Union |url=https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/pwks19.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314203423/http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/pwks19.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 March 2016}} In the late 1980s, the Karabakh movement developed as a manifestation of the Karabakh Armenians' desire to have their oblast transferred to Soviet Armenian jurisdiction. This culminated in 1991, amidst the ongoing disintegration of the Soviet Union, when the authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh AO separated from Azerbaijan and declared independence as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (later the Republic of Artsakh). This bid for independence was initially successful; as both Azerbaijan and Armenia declared independence from the USSR, Karabakh Armenian fighters drove out Azerbaijani forces alongside the army of Armenia during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The end of the war in 1994 left the Karabakh republic internationally unrecognized but victorious, with several areas around the Nagorno-Karabakh region proper occupied as well by troops from Karabakh and Armenia.

Over the following decades, independent Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh remained outside Azerbaijani control, heavily reliant on and closely integrated with Armenia, and in many ways functioning as a de facto part of Armenia.{{Cite book |last=Hughes |first=James |title=Ethnicity and Territory in the Former Soviet Union: Regions in Conflict. |publisher=London: Cass. |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-7146-8210-5 |pages=211 |quote=Indeed, Nagorno-Karabakh is de facto part of Armenia.}}{{Cite book |last=Cornell |first=Svante |title=Azerbaijan Since Independence |publisher=New York: M.E. Sharpe |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7656-3004-9 |pages=135 |quote=Following the war, the territories that fell under Armenian control, in particular Mountainous Karabakh itself, were slowly integrated into Armenia. Officially, Karabakh and Armenia remain separate political entities, but for most practical matters the two entities are unified.}} The situation drastically changed in 2020 during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War which resulted in an Azerbaijani victory. Azerbaijan retook the occupied districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh as well as one third of Nagorno-Karabakh itself. Russian peacekeepers were deployed to Artsakh as part of a ceasefire agreement.

In September 2023, despite the ongoing presence of Russian peacekeepers in the region, Azerbaijan launched a renewed offensive against Artsakh, emerging victorious after one day and forcing the government of Artsakh to surrender, disband their army, and agree to reintegration talks. Armenia under the government of Nikol Pashinyan refused to intervene in the situation, having previously recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan in a bid to make peace with Armenia's neighbors and orient the country towards the West.{{Cite news |last=Osborn |first=Andrew |date=2023-09-03 |title=Armenian PM says depending solely on Russia for security was 'strategic mistake' |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/armenian-pm-says-depending-solely-russia-security-was-strategic-mistake-2023-09-03/ |access-date=2023-09-25}} The Armenian government's inaction drew anger from many Armenians and resulted in the subsequent protests.

Protests

=19 September=

Hundreds of protesters gathered for a rally outside government buildings in the capital Yerevan denouncing Pashinyan as being soft on Azerbaijan and weak in Nagorno-Karabakh, including what Pashinyan characterized as calls for a coup d'état and his removal from office. Pashinyan denounced such calls stating that "We must not allow certain people, certain forces to deal a blow to the Armenian state."{{cite web |title=Pashinyan slams calls for a 'coup' in Armenia |url=https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/508659.aspx |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=Al-Ahram |publisher=Agence France-Presse}} The protesters were met by a police cordon, and clashed with the police in an attempt to storm the Government House.{{cite web |last1=Mehman |first1=Asif |date=19 September 2023 |title=Protesters attempt to storm government building in Armenia's Yerevan |url=https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3799558.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920071635/https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/3799558.html |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=19 September 2023 |publisher=Trend News Agency}} The protesters and police exchanged glass bottles and stun grenades and several of the building's windows were smashed.{{cite web |title=Police, Protesters Clash Outside Govt Buildings In Yerevan: TV |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/police-protesters-clash-outside-govt-buildings-in-yerevan-tv-1d453be6?refsec=topics_afp-news |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920071738/https://www.barrons.com/news/police-protesters-clash-outside-govt-buildings-in-yerevan-tv-1d453be6?refsec=topics_afp-news |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=Barron's |publisher=Agence France Presse}}

Protesters also surrounded the Russian embassy criticizing Russia's refusal to intervene in the conflict.{{cite web |title=Protesters Gather Outside Russian Embassy In Yerevan |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/protesters-gather-outside-russian-embassy-in-yerevan-132cd00a |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920071633/https://www.barrons.com/news/protesters-gather-outside-russian-embassy-in-yerevan-132cd00a |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=Barron's |publisher=Agence France Presse}} Among the participants were members-elect of the Yerevan City Council, elected two days prior during the 2023 Yerevan City Council election.{{cite web |title=Citizens protest in front of Russia's Embassy in Yerevan over situation in Nagorno Karabakh |url=https://news.am/eng/news/781800.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920072134/https://news.am/eng/news/781800.html |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=News.am}} After Russia complained that the security of their embassy was lacking and impacting its operations, Armenian police were sent to form a cordon around the embassy, resulting in a clash between the protesters and police.{{cite web |last1=Fornusek |first1=Martin |date=19 September 2023 |title=Media: Protesters clash with police at Russian embassy in Armenia over Azerbaijan's offensive |url=https://kyivindependent.com/street-clashes-break-out-at-russias-embassy-in-yerevan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920072134/https://kyivindependent.com/street-clashes-break-out-at-russias-embassy-in-yerevan/ |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=The Kyiv Independent}} More than 30 people were reportedly injured.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-20 |title=Russia calls for halt to fighting between Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/20/russia-calls-for-halt-to-fighting-between-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920071130/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/20/russia-calls-for-halt-to-fighting-between-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Aljazeera |language=en-US}}

=20 September=

The crowd in Republic Square began to number in the thousands with increasing calls for the removal of Pashinyan and for Armenia to intervene militarily, as it did during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.{{cite web |date=21 September 2023 |title=Rally kicks off on Republic Square in Yerevan in support of Nagorno Karabakh |url=https://news.am/eng/news/782125.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920183533/https://news.am/eng/news/782125.html |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=news.am}}{{cite news |last1=Light |first1=Felix |date=21 September 2023 |title=Armenian protesters demand Pashinyan ouster after Karabakh surrender |website=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/several-hundred-protesters-gather-armenian-capital-after-karabakh-surrender-2023-09-20/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921054252/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/several-hundred-protesters-gather-armenian-capital-after-karabakh-surrender-2023-09-20/ |archive-date=21 September 2023}}{{cite news |title=Protests In Yerevan Follow Azerbaijani Attacks As Karabakh Residents Seek Shelter |website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/photos-armenia-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh/32601266.html |url-status=live |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920191511/https://www.rferl.org/a/photos-armenia-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh/32601266.html |archive-date=20 September 2023}} The police started detaining protesters, stating that the rally was illegal.{{cite web |date=21 September 2023 |title=The police detain protesters at Republic Square in Yerevan |url=https://news.am/eng/news/782165.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920184920/https://news.am/eng/news/782165.html |archive-date=20 September 2023 |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=News.am}} Some protesters called for the rejection of the Alma-Ata Protocol, and Armenia's withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which Pashinyan rejected, stating that such demands were "calls to abandon Armenia's independence."{{cite web |date=21 September 2023 |title=Pashinyan: Calls to abandon the Declaration of Alma-Ata are calls to abandon Armenia's independence |url=https://news.am/eng/news/782277.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921140109/https://news.am/eng/news/782277.html |archive-date=21 September 2023 |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=News.am}}{{Cite news |last=Liffey |first=Kevin |date=2023-09-22 |title=Armenia needs peace, PM says after Azerbaijan retakes Karabakh |language=en |work=Reuters |editor-last=Jones |editor-first=Gareth |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/armenia-needs-peace-pm-says-after-azerbaijan-retakes-karabakh-2023-09-21/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |archive-date=2023-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921112949/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/armenia-needs-peace-pm-says-after-azerbaijan-retakes-karabakh-2023-09-21/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |date=21 September 2023 |title=Angry Armenians demand Pashinyan ouster after Karabakh surrender |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/azerbaijan/news/angry-armenians-demand-pashinyan-ouster-after-karabakh-surrender/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921141235/https://www.euractiv.com/section/azerbaijan/news/angry-armenians-demand-pashinyan-ouster-after-karabakh-surrender/ |archive-date=21 September 2023 |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=Euractiv}}

=21 September=

84 people were detained during protests.{{cite news |title=Scores Of Detentions Reported In Yerevan As Protesters Aim To Oust Armenian Prime Minister |language=en |agency=RFE/RL |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/nagorno-karabakh-pashinian-armenia-azerbaijan-humanitarian-aid/32604471.html |url-status=live |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922111406/https://www.rferl.org/a/nagorno-karabakh-pashinian-armenia-azerbaijan-humanitarian-aid/32604471.html |archive-date=22 September 2023}}{{cite web |date=21 September 2023 |title='Our hearts are broken': shock in Yerevan after loss of Karabakh |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230922-our-hearts-are-broken-shock-in-yerevan-after-loss-of-karabakh |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922060206/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230922-our-hearts-are-broken-shock-in-yerevan-after-loss-of-karabakh |archive-date=22 September 2023 |access-date=22 September 2023 |website=France 24}}

=22 September=

Two unidentified assailants threw some bags of red paint at the gates of the Russian embassy in Yerevan. They were promptly removed by the Armenian Police.{{Cite web |date=22 September 2023 |title=Entrance to Russian Embassy in Yerevan doused in red paint |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/09/22/7420960/ |access-date= |website=Ukrainska Pravda |language=en |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922125059/https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/09/22/7420960/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=22 September 2023 |title=Unknown persons throw paint on gates of Russian embassy in Yerevan |url=https://tass.com/world/1678839 |access-date= |website=TASS |archive-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922140739/https://tass.com/world/1678839 |url-status=live}}

Levon Kocharyan, son of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, was arrested after reportedly getting into a fistfight with four police officers while participating in protests.{{cite web |title=Levon Kocharyan, son of former Armenian president, is arrested |url=https://news.am/eng/news/782733.html |website=news.am |language=en |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-date=23 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923054509/https://news.am/eng/news/782733.html |url-status=live}}

=24 September=

The National Security Service announced it had thwarted a coup attempt by the Khachakirner militia, which had attempted to launch their own offensive into the Lachin corridor, and had threatened to "take matters into their own hands" if the Armenian government did not launch a military operation against Azerbaijan.{{cite web |title=Separatists give Pashinyan and Azerbaijan two hours to open Lachin road |url=https://www.azernews.az/nation/213290.html |website=azernews.az |access-date=27 March 2025}}{{cite web |title=Armenian deserters threaten to open corridor to Karabakh |url=https://caliber.az/en/post/armenian-deserters-threaten-to-open-corridor-to-karabakh |website=caliber.az |access-date=27 March 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Bulghadarian |first1=Naira |title=8 Suspects Arrested Over 'Coup Plot' |url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/32608763.html |website=Radio Free Europe |access-date=27 March 2025}}

=25 September=

The Interior Ministry said more than 140 people had been arrested in Yerevan. Armenian special forces began detaining demonstrators who blocked roads in Yerevan.{{cite web |last=Armstrong |first=Kathryn |title=Nagorno-Karabakh: Thousands flee as Armenia warns of ethnic cleansing risk |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66905581 |website=BBC |language=en |date=25 September 2023 |access-date=25 September 2023}}

Aftermath

On 3 October, the National Assembly of Armenia voted 60-22 in favor of ratifying the Rome Statute, which would enable Armenia to join the International Criminal Court. Although the government claimed that the move to create additional guarantees for Armenia in response to Azerbaijani aggression, it was also seen as a sign of worsening relations with Russia, whose president, Vladimir Putin, is wanted by the court on charges of war crimes in the invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite news |title=Armenia ratifies ICC founding treaty, angering Russia |work=France 24 |date=3 October 2023 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231003-armenia-ratifies-icc-founding-treaty-angering-russia |access-date=3 October 2023 |archive-date=4 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004010022/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231003-armenia-ratifies-icc-founding-treaty-angering-russia |url-status=live}} The measure was signed into law by President Vahagn Khachaturyan on 14 October.