LONDON, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Four months ago, on November 10, 2020, the military aggression against Artsakh came to a halt after the Russian-brokered Ceasefire Statement. Among those affected were Maral Najarian and Vicken Euljekjian, Lebanese-Armenians traveling from Yerevan to Shushi when they were captured by Azeri militaries. Maral, who had applied for Armenian citizenship five years ago, was eager to start a business in Armenia. However, they were detained by Azerbaijani forces between Berzor and Shushi before Russian peacekeepers arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh.
After facing economic collapse and political turmoil in Lebanon, many Lebanese-Armenians had been considering resettlement in Armenia due to the Armenian government’s settlement initiative in Artsakh. Maral and her sister Annie decided to settle in Artsakh in September 2020 but had to leave abruptly due to the war.
Thanks to the efforts of Lebanese officials and humanitarian groups, Maral was released from prison in Baku and reunited with her family in Beirut. The emotional reunion at the airport marked the end of her four-month-long ordeal.
Maral’s release sheds light on the plight of over two hundred Armenian POWs still held by Azerbaijan, including Vicken, a friend of Maral. The story emphasizes the importance of international support and humanitarian efforts in securing the release of all detainees.
By Hasmik J. Seymour / British Armenian