Protesters in the square, under police supervision, set up and lit candles that symbolized the dead. The unrecognized Republic of Arcach, established in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and adjacent regions, reports that in addition to hundreds of soldiers, fifty Armenian civilians lost their lives and were tripled. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the conflict had 5,000 lives. Azerbaijan, which does not disclose military losses, has announced the deaths of nine dozen civilians during the Armenian shelling of border towns.
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The protesters held banners with the slogans “peace for Armenians”, “stop the Azerbaijani aggression”, “don’t be blind”, “prevent another genocide”, “killing civilians must end” and “Czechs, speak”.
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Demonstration of Armenians in the center of Prague
The dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh – an enclave in southwestern Azerbaijan with a predominantly Armenian population – has lasted for over thirty years. It broke out in 1988 during the Soviet era. Nagorno-Karabakh, with the support of Armenia, broke away from Azerbaijan in a war that claimed 35,000 lives and killed more than a million refugees. Karabakh and the surrounding area are now under the military control of Armenia. Azerbaijan considers the territory to be occupied.
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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned on Monday that artillery shelling of civilian targets could be considered a war crime. It called on both Caucasian countries to stop mutual attacks on populated areas, schools and hospitals.
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