On Day 3 of Genocide Studies Week, Newmag Presented Demir Sönmez’s “The Wounded Eagle” (Photos)

The third day of the four-day event featured the photojournalist’s visual testimony of the Artsakh war, blockade, and deportation. The album-documentary presents the tragedy of Artsakh through striking photographs, firsthand commentary, and the author’s statements made on international platforms.

Before covering the Artsakh war, Sönmez had worked in conflict zones including Iraq and Syria. “What happened in Artsakh left a deep mark on me,” he shared. “I get emotional just thinking about it. The Armenian people are an oppressed nation, Artsakh’s people even more so. They had no air defense, no modern weapons. NATO fought against Artsakh. Israelis and Pakistanis assisted Turkey. Most of those killed were between 18 and 22 years old. The Armenian people were massacred before the world’s eyes, subjected to genocide, and Europe stayed silent, international media looked away.”

Photographer and documentarian Areg Balayan, also present at the event, had worked on the ground during the war but could not bring himself to document the deportation. “I couldn’t photograph my mother, father, relatives in that state. I just couldn’t… I saw it, but couldn’t capture everything. Some things were simply forbidden, others I chose not to photograph. Only 15–20% of the reality was captured. We weren’t allowed to shoot the military hospital, for example. I had to photograph it at night.”

“The Wounded Eagle” also includes images by Armenpress photojournalist Hayk Manukyan. Director of Armenpress, Narine Nazaryan, emphasized the importance of preserving these visual records. “Our colleague worked during the 44-day war. To document the aftermath, Demir Sönmez collaborated with us and included Hayk Manukyan’s photos. They capture the pain and loss of the Armenian exodus from Artsakh. This work is crucial, so history does not fade. We never imagined something like this could happen in the 21st century. These images were even used in international courts, like The Hague, when the ICJ ruled that the Lachin Corridor must be reopened.”

Demir Sönmez’s photographs have been exhibited internationally and have received numerous awards. “The Wounded Eagle” now holds a place in international libraries as a lasting document of a modern tragedy.