An incident took place on April 21 during a rally near the Russian Embassy with Armenian and EU flags entitled “Non-Modern Genocide.” A young man approached the organizers of the rally and addressed the chair of the European Party of Armenia, Tigran Khzmalyan, and said: “What are you doing, traitor?” The police quickly surrounded the organizers of the rally and the young man.
The latter was removed, not allowing him to approach Tigran Khzmalyan. At the same time, chants were heard: “Khzmalyan, get lost,” “Khzmalyan, aren’t you ashamed?” and so on.
Tigran Khzmalyan responded to the chants addressed to him: “Do you know any language other than Turkish?” Tigran Khzmalyan and his teammates came to the Russian Embassy in Armenia to say that Russia is now committing genocide of Ukrainians, just as Soviet Russia committed genocide of Armenians with Kemalist Turkey 100 years ago. Before the incense commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, we came to tell the world that we see the genocide of Ukrainians and express solidarity with it,” 
told reporters.
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“I feel sorry for people who do not understand the pain of others. They want others to understand our pain. I think we need to be on the right side of history. I think that today we show solidarity not only with Ukraine, but with the whole civilized world. Both the United States and the European Union are talking about the genocide, and it is very important that for the sake of the future, for the sake of Artsakh, Armenians are here today, with the civilized world, with civilized humanity,” said Tigran Khzmalyan, referring to the counter-demonstration and announcing, “People who fled from Artsakh, are accusing me, a participant in the war, of betraying something. We have not taken a step back, and the people who left Shushi are now trying to save Artsakh in the center of Yerevan. That’s funny.”
According to Tigran Khzmalyan, the organizer of the counter-protest is Russia, which occupied our country in 1920, re-occupied it with Azerbaijan in 2020, and continues that occupation. The participants of the counter-protest were with the flags of Armenia and Artsakh. Tigran Khzmalyan said that he was ashamed that those people were standing under the flag for which his friends died. Tigran Khzmalyan also said that people from Russia, members of the “Memorial” organization, are standing by his side today. According to his description, Armenia is in the status of a hostage today, and Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Russia is a visit of a hostage, which was also understood in Kyiv, and judging by the official statement, it was understood in the USA and Europe.
“I think that our miserable situation will soon be alleviated, because we are doing everything for Armenia to join the civilized world, the democratic world.” Later, protesters of the “No to Today’s Genocide” marched through the streets of Yerevan, chanting “No to War,” “No to Genocide.” The march ended with a demonstration near the monument to Phytof Nansen. The place of the end of the march was not chosen at random. Tigran Khzmalyan reminded that in 1920-1921 Phytof Nansen saved the lives of not only Armenians, but also about half a million Russians, giving them shelter, bread, and a chance to live. The rally ended with chants of “for us and your freedom.” The next demonstration and march will be on April 24 to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
