Members of the ARF student union held a protest outside the Armenian National Security Service building, demanding that the Shaki incident be used to secure the return of Armenian prisoners.

ArmInfo. Members of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun student union "Nikol Agbalyan" held a protest outside the building of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia following the incident in the village of Shaki in the Syunik region, when an Azerbaijani soldier with a machine gun entered a house in the village and wounded the homeowner in front of her children. The demonstrators demanded that the Azerbaijani criminal not be extradited to Baku as a "gesture of goodwill," but rather exchanged for Armenians held in Azerbaijan. They came to the NSS building with posters that read, "The state's function is to prevent, not to document!", "Are Armenia's borders open?", "The return of Armenian prisoners is a priority!", and "Your family could be next!".

One of the protesters stated that what happened in the village of Shaki once again demonstrates how well the security of Armenians living in border villages is ensured. "What happened can be characterized as an infringement on Armenia's sovereignty and the security of its citizens. This incident should be used as leverage to demand the return of Armenian prisoners of war held in Baku. Our demand is not to extradite the Azerbaijani serviceman without presenting conditions to Azerbaijan. "We demand that the release of Armenian prisoners be prioritized," he noted.

In a conversation with journalists, another member of the ARF "Nikol Agbalyan" student union, Stella Hunanyan, noted that the incident is further proof that the current government in Armenia is a national security problem. "This statement is often perceived as an exaggeration. However, this particular incident is factual proof of this. It shows that this government is incapable of solving the existing problems. They can only present a pretty picture," Hunanyan stated.

After the protest, members of the ARF "Nikol Agbalyan" student union They left posters on the sidewalk in front of the Armenian National Security Service building.

It should be recalled that Azerbaijani serviceman Nasimi Musayev entered the home of a resident of the village of Shake in the Syunik region and wounded her on the afternoon of October 1. It later emerged that the woman's two minor children, who had helped their mother defend herself from the attack, were also injured. A statement from the Armenian National Security Service revealed that Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities had been searching for the serviceman since September 29, but no public outreach had been conducted to ensure security, leaving residents of the region in the dark. Furthermore, Azerbaijani media reported that the search for the Azerbaijani serviceman had been underway since September 26. His whereabouts during this period are still unknown. Later, Armenian Health Minister Ananit Avanesyan reported that the woman's condition was stable and that she was receiving the necessary medical care. Initially, the competent Armenian authorities opened a criminal case on the grounds of illegal entry into a home, illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, and causing grievous bodily harm committed with the use of weapons. Only after public outrage did the Prosecutor General's Office also announce the opening of a criminal case on the illegal crossing of the Armenian state border. The Investigative Committee of Armenia told ArmInfo that Musayev was arrested for two months by a court decision.

It should be noted that the exact number of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons is still unknown. Experts estimate there are several hundred. Today, Azerbaijani authorities confirm the presence of 19 Armenians in their custody. Among those held in Azerbaijani captivity are eight former and current representatives of the military-political leadership of Artsakh. These include former presidents of Artsakh; Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, as well as Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, former Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army, General Levon Mnatsakanyan, General David Manukyan, and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

In February, the Baku puppet court sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Babayan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Manukyan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan to life imprisonment on trumped-up charges, and Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, and Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison. The so-called court sentenced the remaining Artsakh residents to up to 15 years in prison.