Marseille Mayor pledges solidarity with Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Events commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide began in Marseille on April 22, with the city hall illuminated in Armenia’s national colors.

During the opening ceremony, Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan addressed participants and expressed full solidarity with Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan, according to Aravot.am .

He declared, “Today, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Ruben Vardanyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Davit Manukyan, and Davit Babayan, though Armenian and from Artsakh, are also French, Marseillais, and European.”

The mayor also spoke about an upcoming project to strengthen ties with Yerevan.

“To seal this connection, we will erect two twin memorials—one in Marseille, on the J4 Esplanade, a luminous steel compass pointing toward Yerevan, and its twin in Yerevan pointing toward Marseille. Two compasses, two beating hearts, constantly reminding us that beyond the sea, beyond the mountains, we share a history, we have built bridges, and we uphold unwavering loyalty, unity, and a promise of hope. These compasses will guide us toward that future,” Payan said.

In September 2023, following a nine-month blockade in Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population, Azerbaijan captured former Artsakh presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, and several other ex-officials. The false charges against them may result in life sentences. A fabricated trial began in Baku on January 17.