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Samvel Shahramanyan | |
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Սամվել Շահրամանյան | |
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| 5thPresident of Artsakh | |
| In office 10 September 2023 – 1 January 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Arayik Harutyunyan Davit Ishkhanyan (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| State Minister of Artsakh | |
| In office 31 August 2023 – 10 September 2023 | |
| President | Davit Ishkhanyan (acting) |
| Preceded by | Gurgen Nersisyan |
| Succeeded by | Artur Harutyunyan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1978-12-01)1 December 1978 (age 46) Stepanakert,Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast,Soviet Union (nowKhankendi,Azerbaijan) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Yerevan, Armenia |
| Alma mater | Artsakh University |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Artsakh Defence Army |
| Years of service | 1996–1999 |
| Rank | Major general |
Samvel Sergeyi Shahramanyan (Armenian:Սամվել Սերգեյի Շահրամանյան; born 1 December 1978) is an Armenian politician who served as the 5th and final president of theRepublic of Artsakh from 10 September 2023 to 1 January 2024. He serves as the current leader of theRepublic of Artsakh government in exile. He was alsoState Minister from August to September 2023. He also served as Minister of Military Patriotic Upbringing, Youth, Sports and Tourism, Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh and a Major General in theArtsakh Defence Army.
Shahramanyan was born inStepanakert on 1 December 1978, in what was then theNagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. He graduated in 1999 from the economics department of theArtsakh University. From 1996 and 1999, he served in theArtsakh Defense Army and then moved to the Artsakh National Security Service, of which he was director between 2018 and 2020 upon appointment by PresidentBako Sahakyan.[1]
In May 2020, Shahramanyan was appointed by PresidentArayik Harutyunyan as Minister of Military Patriotic Upbringing, Youth, Sports and Tourism as part of the latter'sgovernment.[2]
On 29 August 2023, Harutyunyan stated that he was considering resigning and going to serve in Artsakh's militia.[3] On 31 August, Harutyunyan announced his resignation as president of the Republic of Artsakh along withState MinisterGurgen Nersisyan.[4] Before his resignation, in his final decree, Harutyunyan appointed Shahramanyan as the new State Minister, giving him broad powers.[5]
On 6 September 2023, it became known that three opposition parliamentary factions (Justice,Armenian Revolutionary Federation andDemocratic Party of Artsakh) nominated Shahramanyan as their presidential candidate.[6] Later Shahramanyan's candidacy was supported by the largest faction of the Parliament,Free Motherland-UCA.[1] In thepresidential election held on 9 September, Shahramanyan, who was the sole candidate, was elected in a 22–1 vote out of 23 deputies present.[7][8]
Nine days after Shahramanyan was sworn in, Azerbaijan launched amilitary offensive against Artsakh.[9][10] The following day, the Artsakhi government reached aceasefire agreement and agreed to disarm.[11] On 24 September,a mass evacuation of ethnic-Armenian civilians began, citing fears of persecution andethnic cleansing if they remain.[12][13] On 28 September, Shahramanyan signed a decree stating that all state institutions would be dissolved by 1 January 2024, bringing the existence of the Republic of Artsakh to an end.[14][15] On 22 December 2023, Shahramanyan said that there was no official document stipulating the dissolution of government institutions, implying that the republic may continue as agovernment in exile.[16]
On 4 October, it was reported that Shahramanyan had left Artsakh for Armenia.[17][18] He was spotted inYerevan on 16 October.[19]
Shahramanyan is married and has three children.[20]
...the Russian peacekeeping contingent is incapable of preventing Azerbaijan's seizure of the region, despite this being a clear violation of the November 2020 ceasefire brokered by Russia that ended the last war.
We condemn in the strongest terms today's pre-planned and unjustified attack of Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh...We recall that the attack takes place in the context of a major humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, following Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor for the past nine months, in violation of Baku's commitments under the ceasefire statement of 9 November 2020 and of the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice. Humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh needs to be fully and permanently restored.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | President of Artsakh 2023–2024 | Position abolished |
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