The story of POW Hrayr Herabyan as told by his wife Aline, who is raising their two daughters alone.
Children play tag under the amused gaze of their mother and the neighbors who have come to drink coffee, an old lady picks weeds in her vegetable garden, and two boys ride by on their bicycles, waving goodbye. At first glance, there's nothing to suggest that the Herabyan family, originally from the village of Goghovit (Chirak), has been plagued by a muted tragedy for the past two and a half years. Mobilized during the Second Artsakh War, 28-year-old Hrayr was taken prisoner along with some sixty soldiers from his unit, a few days after the signing of the ceasefire agreement on November 10, 2020. He was subsequently sentenced to six years' imprisonment by the Azerbaijani courts, along with thirteen of his comrades. We caught up with his wife, Aline, to find out more about this painful episode in a household accustomed to a more peaceful life.
Can you give us a brief introduction to your family?
Aline Vardanyan (A. V.) - Hrayr and I have two daughters, Syuzi and Anahit, who are five and ten years old. I'm originally from the village of Moussayelian, south of Ashotsk, about ten kilometers from here. We currently live in Hrayr's father's house, with his parents and two brothers. Before the war, Hrayr and I had bought a house in the village, and we were due to move there in autumn 2020.
What did your husband do before the 2020 war?
A. V. - He worked in agriculture and stockbreeding with his father and brothers. He didn't go on to higher education. After finishing school, he did his two years' military service in Artsakh, in Askeran. Apart from that, he likes to work on his own or his father's car, and does odd jobs for people.
How would you describe his personality?
A. V. - He's a quiet, sincere, sensitive and sometimes emotional man.
Tell us about his mobilization during the 44-day war...
A. V. - He left on November 27 with a unit of men from Shirak province. They were sent to the villages of Khtsaberd and Hin Tagher (in Artsakh). During the war, we called each other almost every day. He didn't say much about military operations, but he kept repeating that their presence made no sense because there was no fighting where they were.
How did you find out he'd been taken prisoner?
A. V. - The day it happened, I'd spoken to him on the phone in the morning. He was about to ride down to the village to bring back supplies for the soldiers. He showed me the Azeri positions on the opposite summit. They were very close. He said he'd call me back in the evening. But he never called back. I then called Hrayr's uncle, who was serving in the same unit, but it was Azeris who answered. And we realized they'd been taken prisoner. It's a miracle they weren't killed.
Are you currently able to communicate with him?
A. V. - We can talk to him through the Red Cross, every 40 days or so. At the moment, he's not doing well at all. The last time I spoke to him, he was even more depressed and desperate than before. He was a sight for sore eyes and could barely speak. As I said, he can be emotional, and it's hard for him to control himself. When I tell him to wait a little longer, that he'll be back soon, he replies: “No, we're just telling you stories, don't be fooled. He has no hope left”. As for the conditions of detention, he assures me that everything is normal. In the letters he sends us, he can't say much, because they're proofread there and here.
Which organizations are helping you in your efforts to secure his release?
A. V. - At the moment, only the Red Cross is helping us. The lawyers are doing their job, but it's not working. The hardest thing is for the children. They miss their father. Soldiers with children should have been repatriated first. It's not possible to keep repeating the same promises indefinitely. Personally, I don't believe that the government's efforts will lead to their release. We only expect results from international organizations.
How are your children coping with this situation?
A. V. - It's very difficult for my older daughter. She's become very aggressive. With her father, she was different. She was two when Hrayr left, but now she's beginning to understand better what's going on. One night, she fell asleep with his photo against her chest. Another time, there was a meeting in the village with one of the soldiers who had returned from captivity. My little girl went up to him and asked: “Why didn't you bring my dad back? Why did you come back and not him?” And the soldier started crying.
Where do you find the strength to overcome this ordeal?
A. V. - It's my children who give me the strength to resist. I live for them. The same goes for my in-laws: they do everything to make sure the children don't feel their father's absence. We know that Hrayr will come back one day, but we don't know when that day will be. We think about him day and night, but we don't know what to do. Our only hope is in God.
Interview by
Achod Papasian