Artak Beglaryan responds to Donald Trump’s post featuring Aliyev’s video

Artak Beglaryan, President of the Artsakh Union, responded on July 22 to a Truth Social post by U.S. President Donald Trump, which featured a video excerpt from the speech of Ilham Aliyev — the genocidal dictator of Azerbaijan.

In his comment, Beglaryan stated:
“Mr. President,

With deep respect, I must express my sorrow and concern regarding your decision to share a video featuring Ilham Aliyev — one of the most criminal and dictatorial leaders of our time.

Please note the following critical facts:

Aliyev has committed genocide and crimes against humanity against the indigenous Christian Armenian people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), culminating in the forcible displacement of over 100,000 people in September 2023 — a process widely recognized as ethnic cleansing.
On October 23, 2024, you yourself called these actions “ethnic cleansing” and “forcible displacement,” promising to work to stop them. With that in mind, who do you believe committed those crimes, if not the very man whose video you have now amplified?
Aliyev tortures Armenian civilians and prisoners of war simply for their ethnic and religious identity — as documented by independent international organizations. These are not political allegations but well-substantiated human rights violations.
Dozens of Armenian churches and monuments have been destroyed, vandalized, or defaced under his orders — a blatant campaign to erase the centuries-old Christian Armenian heritage of the region.
Aliyev has publicly stated that Azerbaijani youth should hate Armenians, built a grotesque “trophy park” mocking dead Armenian soldiers, and institutionalized anti-Armenian hatred in schools and public discourse.
His forces have not only occupied Artsakh but also sovereign territories of Armenia, while openly threatening new aggression against a peaceful democratic neighbor.
On October 26, 2020, Aliyev promised a ceasefire to your administration — only to violate it within hours, undermining your peace efforts during your presidential campaign.
The speech you shared was delivered in occupied Shushi — one of the most sacred and historic Armenian cities in Artsakh. For decades, U.S. legislators and administrations have acknowledged the right of its people to self-determination in the area of Nagorno-Karabakh, including Shushi.
Mr. President,

As one of the victims of Aliyev’s genocidal aggression and as a voice for my displaced people, I respectfully urge you: Do not lend legitimacy to a dictator who has inflicted immeasurable suffering and destruction on an ancient Christian nation.

Instead, we ask you to honor your own words — to help stop the violence and ethnic cleansing. Our people continue to hope that the United States, and you personally, will stand on the side of justice, freedom, and truth.

We ask for your support for:

The safe, dignified, and sustainable return of my people to our homeland,
The protection of our religious and cultural heritage now under threat,
The release of Armenian hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons,
And the eradication of state-sponsored hatred and fascist-style indoctrination in Azerbaijan.
Please don’t let the rhetoric of “peace” from a dictator obscure the real and continuing tragedy of our people.”