One of the long-term and unresolved issues that concern us is the return of Armenians held in Azerbaijan. In this regard, we can confidently use the term hostage, taking into account that their return is connected with the fulfillment of certain political demands, Human rights defender Siranush Sahakyan said at a conference dedicated to Artsakh and organized by Genesis Armenia Think Tank and Foundation.
“They are not kept on legal grounds, but artificial grounds have been created that can justify non-repatriation in the international arena, but the real motive is their exchange with political demands,” Sahakyan said.
“At the moment, we have 23 Armenians who are in Azerbaijan. Of course, this is the official number. We should note that many Armenians were captured and then subjected to forced disappearance. Being kept in prison for a short time, actions were taken against them. Their non-confirmation has taken these individuals out of the realm of legal protection, and we cannot know for sure whether they are alive, held in secret places, or not. The reason for their non-officialization was the violent actions taken against these people that violate the right to life,” the human rights defender noted.
There are persons who have been detained since 2020; there are five of them: Two of them are POWs, captured in October; the other three were captured during the special operations made after the November 9 Statement.
“The return of those 23 persons is a subject of political discussions. Recently, a statement was made, which was interpreted differently by our society. It was believed that their return would be ensured in the context of the peace treaty, but as you know, it was announced that that is not the case. At the moment, 210 Armenians have been returned. We must admit that as a result of the actions taken, it has been possible to ensure the return of 210 Armenians. Everyone was subjected to torture and humiliation,” Sahakyan stated.
