Student-Led Organization ASA United Condemns Azeri Attacks, Expresses Solidarity with Armenian Soldiers

On July 12th, Azerbaijani forces began shelling Tavush, a province on the northeastern border of Armenia. This attack was unwarranted and reprehensible, but not unsurprising, and violated the ceasefire protocols signed in 1994. Since the beginning of this conflict, Azerbaijan has continued to perpetrate violence against Armenians, most recently targeting civilian villages, PPE factories, and kindergartens. Azerbaijan has no excuse for the war crimes it has committed, particularly at a time when the world should be coming together against COVID-19. As Armenians call for peace, Azeri protestors on the streets of Baku call for war and “death to Armenians.” These are not idle words – on July 16th, the Azerbaijani government threatened to target the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, located just half an hour from Yerevan, signaling intent to perpetrate a nuclear genocide. 

We, as Armenian Student Associations across the United States, have formed a unified coalition known as ASA United to condemn the violent actions of the Azerbaijani government against Armenia. These unprovoked attacks violate Armenian sovereignty, are unambiguously illegal under international law, and are all the more irresponsible in the setting of the current pandemic. Azerbaijan must cease its aggression against Armenia in order to avert war, restore peace, and preserve the health and lives of innocent civilians.