Echmiadzin: Renowned Azerbaijani poet Ashraf Veysalli recently shared a significant incident from his military service years in Echmiadzin during the Soviet period. Veysalli was participating in APA’s ‘Contemporary of the Century’ project when he recounted his experience of being sentenced to 15 days in detention for refusing to kiss a stone at a church.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Veysalli served in a tank regiment at the foot of Mount Ararat. During his service, he and his colleagues were taken to visit a church. Upon arrival, a woman at the entrance instructed them to kiss a stone before entering. Veysalli’s refusal to comply led to him being reported to his commander, who subsequently sentenced him to 15 days of detention in the guardhouse.
Veysalli revealed that he faced this form of detention three times, each lasting 15 days. He emphasized that during these periods of punishment, he did not sleep at all. One of these instances occurred while he was on guard duty inside a tank, where he was
caught tuning into a Turkish radio station and listening to music.
The poet’s recollections provide a glimpse into the challenges he faced during his military service, highlighting moments of defiance and the resulting consequences.