YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS: On 24 October Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the Tonashen village of the Martakert region and attended there a solemn ceremony of opening the memorial of Artsakh prominent political and military figure Shahen Meghryan. 

The Central Information Department of the Artsakh President’s Office informed Armenpress that Bako Sahakyan granted posthumously the highest Honorary Title of the "Hero of Artsakh" to Shahen Meghryan for exclusive services, courage and valor shown during the organization of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic's defense and handed in the Golden Eagle Order to Shahen Meghryan's son. 

The Head of the State appreciated Shahen Meghryan's role in the Artsakh national-liberation struggle, the state building process in Artsakh, underlining that his life and activity were among the finest examples of faithful devotion and service to the Motherland.

President Sahakyan also decorated with awards a group of freedom-fighters of the Shahumyan self-defense detachment for courage and personal bravery shown in the course of the combat activities defending the Motherland. Two servicemen were awarded with the "For Courage" medal, six servicemen with the "For Service in Battle" medal, three of them posthumously.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, defense minister Movses Hakobyan, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Party Bureau Hrant Margaryan, other officials, guests from Armenia and abroad attended the event.