All five factions of the Artsakh parliament have signed a statement supporting a petition campaign underway in Armenia to make it a crime to recognize Nagorno Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan.

The Hayakve (Armenian vote) ballot initiative was launched following Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s recent pledge to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh. His statement has been strongly condemned by opposition parties in Armenia and Karabakh’s leadership.

The petition also wants to criminalize any Armenian government decision to stop campaigning for greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

The five factions argue that the people of Artsakh confirmed their will to live freely and independently in 1991, according to the Declaration of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR), and the 1992 Declaration on the independence of the NKR.

“Any revision of the right of self-determination of the people of Artsakh is possible only by popular will, therefore, individual persons and groups are not competent and authorized to decide the national key issues. May God protect our Motherland and our compatriots,” their statement reads.

The five factions are: Free Motherland-UCA, United Motherland, Artsakh Justice, ARF, Democratic Party of Artsakh.

Armenian law states the parliament must debate any initiative backed by at least 50,000 citizens. A petition signed by at least 300,000 Armenians must be put to a referendum.