Armenian Assembly of America calls on Trump to ensure immediate release of hostages held in Baku

The Armenian Assembly of America has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to ensure the immediate release of individuals being unlawfully held in Baku.

“Today, in announcing the end of the war in Gaza and the return of the Israeli hostages, President Donald J. Trump heralded “the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God,” the Armenian Assembly of America said in a statement.

In addition to this historic development in furtherance of peace in the wider region, President Trump has also focused his attention to resolving long-standing conflicts elsewhere, including Armenia and Azerbaijan.

During President Trump’s meeting with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the signing in the White House of a peace framework on August 8th between the two countries, President Trump promised to raise the release of the hostages with Azerbaijan’s President. Speaking with Armenia’s Prime Minister, Trump made note of the fact that Baku was holding Armenian hostages: “So you said there’s 23 Christians that you’d like to get out, right? 23? Because I’m going to ask him to do that. I think he’ll do it for me too.”

“We urge President Trump to ensure that the Armenian Christian hostages in Baku are released immediately, just as he demonstrated he can do so successfully with the release of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza,” stated Armenian Assembly Co-Chairs Oscar Tatosian and Talin Yacoubian.

“True peace cannot be achieved while hostages remain unjustly held in Baku,” they continued. “Having witnessed so much devastation, we pray for a true end to conflict and a permanent peace.”