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Arshak Makichyan

Arshak Makichyan

Arshak Arturovich Makichyan (Russian: Аршак Артурович Макичян [ɐrˈʂak ɐrˈturəvʲɪt͡ɕ mɐkʲɪˈt͡ɕʲæn],

Armenian: Արշակ Արթուրի Մակիչյան [ɑrˈʃɑk ɑrˈturi mɑkiˈt͡ʃjɑn], born 2 June 1994) is a climate and anti-war activist from Armenia who was based in Russia until the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1][2] Until he was arrested in December 2019 he staged a solo school strike for the climate every Friday in Pushkin Square, Moscow,[3][4] for more than 40 weeks.[2][5] In Russia, individual protests are lawful but anything larger requires police permission.[6] Makichyan has applied to hold a bigger demonstration unsuccessfully more than 10 times.[5]

He has inspired others across Russia to take part in school strike for the climate, including other single person pickets in Moscow.[7] In December 2019 he was jailed for six days, hours after returning from Madrid, Spain, where he spoke at the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25).[5][8]

After Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine he expanded his protests, writing "I'm against the war" on dozens of his climate stickers, since he wasn't able to find a shop that would print the word "war."[2] Makichyan was a social media manager, until his job "ceased to exist" after the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to websites being blocked in Russia.[2] After having to leave the country, he was put on trial while in exile in Germany, losing his Russian citizenship as a result. The Court accuses him of providing false information about himself when applying for his Russian citizenship in 2004, despite being just 10 years old at the time.[9]

He studied violin at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.[1][10]

Views

Arshak Makichyan has expressed irredentist views regarding Azerbaijan and its territories. He has claimed that regions such as Nakhchivan and other parts of Azerbaijan and Turkey should belong to Armenia. Additionally, he has described ethnic Azerbaijanis as "colonizers," arguing that they are not indigenous to the region,[11]which contradicts scientific consensus, as Azerbaijanis are genetically native to the area.[12][13][14]

Makichyan has openly shared these views on social media, where they have sparked criticism.[15][16] Many have accused him of promoting ethnic division and territorial revisionism. While he presents himself as a peace activist, critics argue that his rhetoric toward Azerbaijanis contradicts principles of inclusivity and scientific consensus.

Arshak also advocates for the dissolution of Russia.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Brown, Jonathan (2019-06-30). "Moscow's lone climate protester: 'We need to talk about it now'". Al Jazeera News. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  2. ^ a b c d Andreoni, Manuela (2022-04-01). "How war has upended life for climate activists in Russia". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  3. ^ Gorst, Isabel (2019-10-10). "Could Arshak Makichyan be Russia's answer to Greta Thunberg?". The Irish Times. Moscow. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  4. ^ Götze, Susanne (2019-07-24). "Fridays for Future in Moscow: Teen Challenges Putin's Climate Inactivity". Spiegel Online. Moscow. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  5. ^ a b c Watts, Jonathan (2019-12-20). "Russian climate activist inspired by Thunberg is jailed". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  6. ^ Bargain, Héloïse (2019-04-26). "Meet Moscow's Lone #ClimateStrike Protester". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  7. ^ Wordsworth, Ada (2019-11-15). "I joined Moscow's secret climate strike movement and this is what I found". The Independent. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  8. ^ "Russian Climate Activist Jailed After Greta Thunberg-Led Protest". The Moscow Times. 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  9. ^ "Climate Activist Arshak Makichyan Stripped of Russian Citizenship". The Moscow Times. 2022-11-01.
  10. ^ Rainsford, Sarah (2019-10-04). "Climate strikes: Why Russians don't get Greta's climate message". BBC News. Moscow. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  11. ^ [Democracy Now](https://www.democracynow.org/2024/11/25/arshak_makichyan_azerbaijan_artsakh_nagorno_karabakh). "Arshak Makichyan on Azerbaijan, Artsakh, and Nagorno-Karabakh." Democracy Now!, November 25, 2024.
  12. ^ Taskent, R.O., Gokcumen, O. (2017). "The Multiple Histories of Western Asia: Perspectives from Ancient and Modern Genomes". Human Biology, 89(2): 107–117. [doi:10.13110/humanbiology.89.2.01](https://doi.org/10.13110/humanbiology.89.2.01). PMID 29299965. S2CID 6871226.
  13. ^ Nasidze, I., Sarkisian, T., Kerimov, A., Stoneking, M. (2003). "Testing hypotheses of language replacement in the Caucasus". Human Genetics, 112(3): 255–261. [doi:10.1007/s00439-002-0874-4](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00439-002-0874-4). PMID 12596050. S2CID 13232436. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2007.
  14. ^ Yepiskoposian, L., et al. (2011). "The Location of Azerbaijanis on the Patrilineal Genetic Landscape of the Middle East (A Preliminary Report)". Iran and the Caucasus, 15(1): 73–78. [doi:10.1163/157338411X12870596615395](https://doi.org/10.1163/157338411X12870596615395).
  15. ^ [X (formerly Twitter)](https://x.com/MakichyanA/status/1833262229292044765?t=PDRj6nhTkSmDSxjCxD_4Vg&s=19). "Arshak Makichyan tweet on Azerbaijan." X, March 21, 2024.
  16. ^ [X (formerly Twitter)](https://x.com/MakichyanA/status/1890037512695066914?t=m_nOv5Syw-eeCSlZ1AtJ6w&s=19). "Arshak Makichyan tweet on Azerbaijan." X, March 25, 2024.