Flags of Azerbaijan and Türkiye burned during torchlight procession in Yerevan PHOTO

In Yerevan, participants in a torchlight procession held in memory of the so-called "victims of the Armenian genocide" burned the national flags of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media sources.

A similar accident occurred on April 14, 2023, during the opening ceremony of the European Weightlifting Championships in Yerevan, Armenia, Armenian designer Aram Nikolyan set fire to the Azerbaijani flag on stage. This act was widely condemned and led to significant diplomatic and legal repercussions.​

Nikolyan, affiliated with Armenia’s public broadcaster, seized the Azerbaijani flag from a flag bearer and ignited it in front of the audience. He later defended his actions in a video, stating, “I just wanted to prevent the Azerbaijani flag from being raised in the Armenian capital, Yerevan,” and emphasized that he acted independently, without political affiliation. ​

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Youth and Sports, along with the National Olympic Committee, condemned the act as a violation of sportsmanship and withdrew their athletes from the competition, citing concerns over safety and the politicisation of sports.

Azerbaijan initiated a criminal case against Nikolyan under several articles of its Criminal Code, including inciting national hatred and insulting the state flag. He was placed on an international wanted list, and Azerbaijan sought his extradition. ​

By Khagan Isayev