Memorial day for the people missing during Karabakh conflict was held in Nagorno-Karabakh

A Memorial day for the people missing during Karabakh conflict was held in Nagorno-Karabakh on June, 29. Since morning the public and representatives of the authorities visited Stepanakert Memorial complex to honour their memory and lay flowers to the memorial.

Speaking at the Memorial complex Head of Artsakh Eparchy of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan said that the people gathered to "think of those who are and will always remain with us, even though we do not know their addresses".

Josepha Bagdasaryan aged 82, refugee from Baku currently residing in France, came to Stepanakert on the Memorial day. She said that her sister Alvina Bagdasaryan, teacher of chemistry and biology, "was taken prisoner during the tragic events in Maraga".

"So many years did we search for her and make inquiries. A woman who was in prison in Azerbaijan together with my sister exchanged by her relatives said that my sister was severely tortured but the woman did not see whether they killed her or not. The Red Cross still cannot provide us with reliable information about my sister and it is even unknown where she was buried", Bagdasaryan said.

According to Karabakh non-governmental organization "Union of missing persons' relatives", 209 servicemen and 366 civilians are considered missing in the republic during Karabakh conflict.

According to official data of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 445 persons are considered missing in Nagorno-Karabakh, among them 114 servicemen. The statistics of ICRC is drawn up upon the statements of missing people's relatives and their appeals received by the Red Cross.

Twenty years ago, on June, 29, 1992, Armenian volunteer detachment "Arabo" was encircled in the settlement of Gasangaya, Martakert district. 79 servicemen, among them 29 natives of Karabakh, were posted missing. For this reason June, 29, is considered Memorial day for the victims and people missing in Karabakh war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.