Armenian detainee’s father protests opposition's burning of Azerbaijani flag

The relatives of an Armenian saboteur who were disarmed on December 13, 2020, and convicted in Azerbaijan blocked a road on May 8, 2022, through which the opposition were marching toward the country’s Gyumri city for a protest action.

The saboteurs’ relatives accused the Armenian opposition members of aggravating the country’s internal political situation and obstructing negotiations. They are convinced that the opposition’s radical rhetoric and actions have a negative impact on the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiation process, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Armenian media.

The father of one of the saboteurs has reportedly talked to Gegham Manukyan, a member of the "Dashnaktsutyun" party, who is actively involved in the anti-government rallies, accusing the Armenian opposition of provocative actions that prevent negotiations on the return of their jailed relatives.

"I am the father of a prisoner; my son has been there for a year and a half. Why did you burn Azerbaijan’s flag, [and] did not let [Armenia] bring the guys back?" the man asked Manukyan.

Manukyan stated that for a year and a half after the war, Pashinyan did not engage in the "return of prisoners". In response to the opposition member’s statement, the relatives of the saboteurs said that Azerbaijan had returned many Armenian servicemen.

"You marched in Yerevan and burned the [Azerbaijani] flag, and after that 38 people did not return," the father of the Armenian serviceman told the opposition member.

"Listen to me. Look, we've been burning the flag for 30 years, has any of our guys been captured for 30 years?" Manukyan said in response.

A verbal altercation between the father of the Armenian saboteur and Manukyan has followed the talk, during which the man demanded that the opposition members not interfere with the incumbent government to negotiate with Azerbaijan on the repatriation of their relatives.

The relatives of Armenian saboteurs and opposition continued the talks in a scuffle. The road to Gyumri remained blocked, however, opposition members were able to continue their journey to attend a protest rally which was joined only by 1,150 people.