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Arayik Harutyunyan

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Arayik Harutyunyan
Արայիկ Հարությունյան
Harutyunyan in 2020
4th President of Artsakh
In office
21 May 2020 – 1 September 2023
Prime MinisterGrigory Martirosyan
Artak Beglaryan
Ruben Vardanyan
Gurgen Nersisyan
Samvel Shahramanyan
Preceded byBako Sahakyan
Succeeded byDavit Ishkhanyan (acting)
Samvel Shahramanyan
1st State Minister of Artsakh
In office
25 September 2017 – 6 June 2018
PresidentBako Sahakyan
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byGrigory Martirosyan
6th Prime Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
In office
14 September 2007 – 25 September 2017
PresidentBako Sahakyan
Preceded byAnushavan Danielyan
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Personal details
Born (1973-12-14) 14 December 1973 (age 50)
Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
Political partyFree Motherland
SpouseKristina Harutyunyan
Children3
RelativesArtur Harutyunyan
Residence(s)Yerevan, Armenia
Alma materYerevan State Institute of Economy
Artsakh University
Military service
Allegiance Republic of Artsakh
Branch/service Artsakh Defense Army
Years of service1992–1994
Battles/warsFirst Nagorno-Karabakh War

Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan (Armenian: Արայիկ Վլադիմիրի Հարությունյան; born 14 December 1973) is an Armenian politician who served as the fourth president of the Republic of Artsakh from May 2020 to September 2023. Under his predecessor Bako Sahakyan, he served as the sixth and last Prime Minister from 2007 until the abolishment of that position in 2017 and as the first State Minister of the Republic of Artsakh from 2017 until his resignation in 2018. Harutyunyan led Artsakh through the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War with Azerbaijan, during which the republic lost most of the territory under its control. He resigned on 1 September 2023 in the midst of the Azerbaijani blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.[1][2]

On 3 October 2023, he and two other former presidents of Artsakh, Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, together with former president of the National Assembly Davit Ishkhanyan, were detained by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan and brought to Baku.[3][4]

Early life

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Harutyunyan was born in 1973 in Stepanakert, then capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, part of the Azerbaijani SSR in the Soviet Union. He became a student at the Yerevan State Institute of Economy in 1990. Two years later, in 1992, he joined the armed forces of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (the Republic of Artsakh) and took part in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.[5] His older brother, Samvel, died in combat during the war.[6] After the war, he transferred from the Yerevan State Institute of Economy to the Artsakh State University Faculty of Economics and graduated in 1995. Three years later, in 1998, he completed his post-graduate studies at Artsakh State University.[5]

Career

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Harutyunyan started his career at the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Artsakh in 1994, serving as assistant to the minister. In 1997, he left the ministry and started his career in the private sector, in Armagrobank, working there until 2004.

In the National Assembly

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In 2005, Harutyunyan co-founded the Free Motherland party, which took part in the 2005 parliamentary election, winning 10 out of 33 seats in the National Assembly of Artsakh. He also served as the Chairman of the Free Motherland party and its parliamentary grouping in the National Assembly. Harutyunyan headed the Commission on Financial, Budget and Economy Management in the National Assembly.[7]

Premiership

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In 2007, he was appointed prime minister by then-president Bako Sahakyan. His first speech as prime minister was full of promises to revive the economy, democracy and social justice in the unrecognised country. The urgent steps that he promised to take included "fighting against corruption, protectionism, the clan system and social evils".[8] After the 2017 constitutional referendum, Artsakh transitioned from a semi-presidential system to a presidential system of governance and the office of prime minister was abolished. Harutyunyan remained in the Sahakyan government and was appointed to the newly created office of state minister.[9] He resigned from the position in June 2018 after four days of protests in Stepanakert sparked by the beating of two civilians by Artsakh's security forces.[10]

President Harutyunyan announces the names of the Heroes of Artsakh during Second Nagorno-Karabakh War

Presidency

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Harutyunyan participated in and won the 2020 Artsakhian general election, thereby becoming the fourth President of Artsakh.[11][12] He received 49.3% of the votes in the first round of voting and won in the second round after his closest competitor Masis Mayilyan pulled out of the race, citing the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Artsakh.[6] Harutyunyan's Free Motherland party won 16 of 33 seats in Artsakh's National Assembly.[11] He was inaugurated on 21 May in a ceremony that was attended by his opponent Masis Mayilyan and Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan.[13][14] During the ceremony, which was held in Shusha instead of Stepanakert (a decision which angered the authorities in Baku),[15] he described Artsakh and Armenia as "inseparable parts of a united national homeland".[16] During the first week of his presidency, he signed two highly publicized executive orders: the first one changed the seat of the National Assembly of Artsakh from Stepanakert to Shusha, while the second made all tertiary education in Artsakh free. On 19 September, he announced that the National Assembly will be moved from the capital to Shusha by 2022, in time for the 30th anniversary of the Armenian capture of Shusha.[17]

2020 conflict

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During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan claimed that the Azerbaijani Army had severely wounded Harutyunyan, who had visited the front that morning.[18][19] These allegations were denied by both Harutyunyan and his government.[20] On 23 October, Harutyunyan published an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin penned by himself, calling for Russian support to Artsakh, noting Russia's historical ties to the region and the many notable Russian and Soviet figures from Karabakh.[21]

On 27 October, he dismissed Jalal Harutyunyan from the post of minister of defence after he was wounded in fighting.[22] It came a week after he promoted him to the rank of lieutenant general.[23][24] A day later, Harutyunyan granted Jalal Harutyunyan the title Hero of Artsakh.[25]

On 9 November, Harutyunyan gave his consent for Nikol Pashinyan to sign the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.[26] Harutyunyan defended the decision to accept the ceasefire agreement, stating that the Armenian side "would have lost all of Artsakh" if the war had not been stopped.[27]

Aftermath of 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War

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On 11 November, Harutyunyan called on citizens of Artsakh to refrain from participating in the protests in Yerevan, calling on them to return home and declaring that "Artsakh will remain Armenian".[28] Two later, he received General Rustam Muradov, then commander of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, who arrived in Stepanakert to begin the peacekeeping mission in the region.[29]

On 1 December 2020, Harutyunyan announced that a national unity government would be formed and a number of cabinet officials would be replaced, pending snap elections. He announced his intention to leave politics permanently and that he would not run in the coming elections.[30] On 16 December, Harutyunyan announced that all security-related decisions would have to be approved by the Security Council of Artsakh, giving significant powers to the council's head Vitaly Balasanyan.[30] In February 2021, Harutyunyan's spokesperson confirmed that Harutyunyan, Russian general Rustam Muradov and an Azerbaijani official had met to discuss "humanitarian issues".[31]

In April 2022, Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan gave a speech stating the international community was urging Armenia to "lower [its] bar a bit on the question of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status," suggesting that Armenia will recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.[32] Harutyunyan and other Artsakh officials reacted to the speech, declaring that the Armenians of Artsakh would not give up their right to self-determination and that it was "impossible" and "inadmissible" for Artsakh to come under Azerbaijani control.[32][33]

On 4 November 2022, Harutyunyan appointed Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian Armenian billionaire who had recently moved to Artsakh, to the position of state minister with "broad powers".[34] Vardanyan then carried out a cabinet reshuffle, also dismissing Vitaly Balasanyan from the position of security council chief. The appointment angered the Azerbaijani authorities; President Ilham Aliyev declared in November 2022 that Azerbaijan would not negotiate with Vardanyan.[35] In December 2022, Azerbaijan began a blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh by blocking the Lachin corridor, the sole road linking Artsakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, precipitating shortages of essential supplies such as food, medicine and fuel.[35][36] Vardanyan’s dismissal was one of the key demands made by Azerbaijan for it to end the blockade of Artsakh.[37] Reports emerged in early 2023 of a "rift" between Harutyunyan and Vardanyan.[38] Harutyunyan dismissed Vardanyan from the position on 23 February 2023.[39] Harutyunyan did not give details about the reasons for the dismissal, but claimed that it was in Artsakh's best interests and denied that it was in response to Azerbaijan's demands for Vardanyan's departure.[39]

On 13 February 2023, Harutyunyan proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow Artsakh's parliament to elect an interim president in case of the president's resignation, raising new expectations of his impending resignation.[38] The changes were approved by Artsakh's parliament in March 2023.[40] On 25 July, with the humanitarian situation in Artsakh continually deteriorating because of the Azerbaijani blockade,[41] Harutyunyan declared Artsakh a "disaster zone," calling for an international response to ensure the safety of the inhabitants of the region.[42] He stated that he had contacted UN agencies and sent letters to the presidents of the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group (France, Russia and the United States) describing the situation and demanding action to address the crisis. He called on Russia to carry out its obligations according to the 2020 ceasefire agreement and asked the Armenian government not to recognize Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan.[42]

Resignation

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On 29 August 2023, Harutyunyan stated that he was considering resigning and going to serve in Artsakh's militia.[43] On 31 August, Harutyunyan announced his resignation as president of the Republic of Artsakh along with State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan.[1] He formally submitted his resignation to Artsakh's parliament on 1 September.[2] In a statement on Facebook, he suggested that his remaining in the position may pose an obstacle to negotiations between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. He also stated that the defeat in the 2020 war and subsequent events had "significantly reduced the trust [among the inhabitants of Artsakh] in the authorities, especially the President," which was limiting the effectiveness of the government.[1] On 9 September 2023, Artsakh's parliament elected Samvel Shahramanyan to replace Harutyunyan.[44]

Arrest

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On 3 October 2023, in the aftermath of Azerbaijan's offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, Harutyunyan and two other former presidents of Artsakh, Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, together with former president of the National Assembly Davit Ishkhanyan, were detained by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan and brought to Baku.[3][4] Previously on 1 October, an arrest warrant had been issued for him by Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev, for Harutyunyan's role in ordering the 2020 Ganja missile attacks.[45]

Honours and awards

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  • Republic of Artsakh Medal "For the Liberation of Shushi" (8 May 2003)[5][7]
  • Republic of Artsakh Order of the Combat Cross, second degree[5]
  • Republic of Artsakh Order of Grigor Lusavorich (30 August 2016)[5][7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Avetisyan, Ani (31 August 2023). "Arayik Harutyunyan resigns as president of Nagorno-Karabakh". OC Media. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Արցախի նախագահը հրաժարականի դիմումը ներկայացրեց ԱԺ" [The President of Artsakh presented his resignation to the National Assembly]. Azatutyun (in Armenian). 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Gukasyan, David Ishkhanyan were detained and brought to Baku". Azeri Press Agency. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Azerbaijan detains Arayik Harutyunyan - so-called former "leader" of separatists in Garabagh". Azeri Press Agency. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Arayik Harutyunyan - Former Prime Ministers - Government - Government of Artsakh Republic". gov.nkr.am. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b Sanamyan, Emil (15 April 2020). "Artsakh Vote: Arayik Harutyunyan is Elected President". USC Institute of Armenian Studies. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Araik V. Harutyunyan". www.nankr.am. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Новый кабинет министров Нагорного Карабаха будет вести решительную борьбу со взяточничеством, протекционизмом и клановостью" [The new cabinet of ministers of Nagorno-Karabakh will wage a resolute fight against bribery, protectionism and clannishness]. Regnum. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  9. ^ "Masis Mayilyan appointed Artsakh Foreign Minister". Mediamax. 17 September 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  10. ^ "State minister and security chiefs resign after protests in Nagorno-Karabakh". OC Media. 7 June 2018. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b Elliott, Raffi (15 April 2020). "Artsakh elects new president amid pandemic". The Armenian Weekly. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Harutyunian Sworn In As President Of Disputed Nagorno-Karabakh Region". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 21 May 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Armenian Prime-Minister Nikol Pashinyan arrived in Stepanakert". Official website of the President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic. 21 May 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Arayik Harutyunyan Sworn in as Artsakh President". USC Institute of Armenian Studies. 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  15. ^ Gjevori, Elis (30 October 2020). "Shusha and Lacin: The two towns shaping the Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict". TRT World. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  16. ^ Harutyunyan, Sargis (21 May 2020). "New Karabakh Leader Inaugurated". Azatutyun. Archived from the original on 30 May 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  17. ^ "The seat of the National Assembly will be moved to Shoushi. the republic's President clarified the terms and gave instructions". Official website of the President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic. 19 September 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  18. ^ Mikayıloğlu, Ramiz (4 October 2020). "Presidential aide: 'As a result of our army's accurate strike, Araik Arutunyan was severely wounded'". APA.az. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2020. H. Hajiyev said the cluster bombs are launched on the Azerbaijani cities: 'Armenia is a terrorist state. Azerbaijan doesn't leave any of these attacks without response. As of now, it is stated that this fire was inflicted from the occupied territories by order of head of the so-called Nagorno Garabagh Republic Araik Arutunyan. I would like to appeal from here to Araik Arutunyan. Araik Artunyan, you were hiding in bunker, the Azerbaijani army found you even there. As a result of accurate strike of our army, Araik Arutunyan was severely wounded. The same fate awaits other separatists as well.'
  19. ^ "President of Artsakh returns from frontline, praises 'inspiration, feats and heroism' of troops". Armenpress. 4 October 2020. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Artsakh denies Azeri reports claiming president is wounded". Armenpress. 4 October 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Arayik Harutyunyan issues open letter to Vladimir Putin". Artsakhpress. 23 October 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  22. ^ "Artsakh President: Defense minister Jalal Harutyunyan is relieved of post, he is wounded". News.am. 27 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  23. ^ "President of Artsakh bestows Defense Minister with Lieutenant-General military rank". Armenpress. 15 October 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  24. ^ "Artsakh DM, Commander of Defense Army awarded military rank of Lieutenant-General". Aysor.am. 15 October 2020. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  25. ^ Ghazanchyan, Siranush (28 October 2020). "Jalal Harutyunyan honored with Hero of Artsakh title". Public Radio of Armenia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan on Armenia's Agreement with Azerbaijan, Russia". The Armenian Weekly. 9 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023.
  27. ^ Hakobyan, Gohar (10 November 2020). "Arayik Harutyunyan: 'If military operations continued, we would have lost all of Artsakh'". Aravot. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  28. ^ Ghazanchyan, Siranush (11 November 2020). "Arayik Harutyunyan calls on Artsakh Armenians to stop looking for traitors and return home". Public Radio of Armenia. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  29. ^ Ghazanchyan, Siranush (13 November 2020). "Artsakh President receives commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops". Public Radio of Armenia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  30. ^ a b Meljumyan, Ani (7 January 2021). "Nagorno-Karabakh shuffles top officials, plans new elections". Eurasianet. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  31. ^ "Artsakh's President, official representative of Baku discuss issue of POWs and missing in action". Armenpress. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  32. ^ a b "Karabakh Officials Angrily React to Pashinyan Speech Asking for 'Lower Bar'". The Armenian Mirror-Spectator. 21 April 2022. Archived from the original on 21 April 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  33. ^ Avedian, Lillian (20 April 2022). "Artsakh politicians condemn "catastrophic position" of Armenian government". The Armenian Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  34. ^ Avetisyan, Ani (4 November 2022). "Billionaire Ruben Vardanyan to serve as Nagorno-Karabakh's State Minister". OC Media. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  35. ^ a b Kucera, Joshua (13 January 2023). "Amid blockade, spotlight falls on Karabakh's new, enigmatic leader". Eurasianet. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  36. ^ Gavin, Gabriel (19 December 2022). "Supplies begin to run low as Nagorno-Karabakh blockade continues". Eurasianet. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  37. ^ Balasyan, Lusine (23 February 2023). "Рубен Варданян освобожден от должности премьера Нагорного Карабаха" [Ruben Vardanyan dismissed from the position of prime minister of Nagorno-Karabakh]. Kommersant (in Russian). Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  38. ^ a b Khulian, Artak (16 February 2023). "Karabakh Leader Fuels Talk of Resignation". The Armenian Mirror-Spectator. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  39. ^ a b "Artsakh President Dismisses Vardanyan as State Minister". Hetq. 23 February 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  40. ^ Stepanian, Ruzanna (16 March 2023). "Karabakh Leader's Political Future In Doubt". Azatutyun. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  41. ^ Chapple, Amos (18 July 2023). "Deaths, Mass Protests As Nagorno-Karabakh Blockade Tightens". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  42. ^ a b "Artsakh President Says Country Is a "Disaster Zone"; Demands UN Intervention". Hetq. 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  43. ^ "BREAKING: Nagorno-Karabakh President mulls resigning and joining militia". Armenpress. 29 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  44. ^ "Samvel Shahramanyan Elected Artsakh President". Hetq. 9 September 2023. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Azerbaijan issues warrant for former separatist leader as UN mission arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh". Associated Press. 1 October 2023. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Artsakh
2007–2017 		Office abolished
New office State Minister of Artsakh
2017–2018 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Artsakh
2020–2023 		Succeeded by
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