Dear supporter!
Thank you for your ongoing support to this PETITION for the release of Armenian POWs and civilian hostages!
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UPDATE 0F 22 JANUARY 2024
On 13 December 2023, the Armenian authorities published the names of 32 prisoners of war who were returned from Azerbaijan’s captivity on the basis of agreement with Baku on the exchange of prisoners under the “all for all” scheme. We ARE DELIGHTED that 32 Armenian hostages and POWs as well as their long-suffering families.
Meanwhile, most of those hostages were expected to be returned even without further concessions on the part of Armenia, and the agreements and consequences of their return are not known. We expected that ALL 62 Ktsaberd POWs would be returned sooner or later, as half of the Armenian servicemen captured near Ktsaberd in December 2020, were already returned in 2021 and 2022, and the remaining 26 were released on 13 December 2023. Several other hostages taken in recent years and during the Artsakh blockade were among those released.
The 26 POWs captured near Ktsaberd and returned on 13 December 2023 are:
1. Avakyan Hrach Arzumanovich-Shirak, Gyumri
2. Avakyan Serob Surenovich-Shirak, Zuygakhbyur
3. Tigran Avakyan Manuki - Shirak, Gyumri
4. Avetisyan Vagharshak Ashotovich-Shirak, Zuygakhbyur
5. Aramyan Karen Armenovich-Shirak, Ashotsk
6. Bakhrikyan Vahagn Edikovich-Shirak, Akhuryan
7. Baghdasaryan Artur Eduardovich-Shirak, Gyumri
8. Gevorkyan Robert Hovikovich-Chirak, Akhuryan
9. Dilanyan Arman Vazgenovich-Shirak, Zuygakhbyur
10. Sasun Yeghiazaryan Seyrani-Shirak, Ani
11. Tadevosyan Hrayr Vardanovich-Shirak, Ashotsk
12. Tosunyan Levon Ashotovich-Shirak, Ashotsk
13. Kirakosyan Eduard Armenovich-Shirak, Gyumri
14. Kostanyan Narek AGASU - Shirak, Artik
15. Hakobyan Volodya Gagikovich-Shirak, Sarnaghbyur
16. Varazdat Harutyunyan Serezhi - Shirak, Akhuryan
17. Hrayr Gerabyan Hrachi-Shirak, Ashotsk
18. Hovhannisyan Haykaz Koryuni - Shirak, Akhuryan
19. Martoyan Manuk Oganesovich-Shirak, Landzhik
20. Martirosyan Gevorg Samvelovich-Shirak, Gyumri
21. Mikaelyan Andranik Vazgenovich-Shirak, Gyumri
22. Saghatelyan Grigory Seyranovich-Shirak, Ashotsk
23. Serobyan Gegham Samvelovich-Shirak, Zuygakhbyur
24. Sukiasyan Andranik Srapi-Shirak, Gyumri
25. Stepanyan David Stepanovich-Shirak, Panik
26. Vardanyan Arsen Araikovich - Shirak, Ani
Other hostages released on 13 December:
27. Rafaelyan Vladimir Otarievich-Armavir, Vagharshapat
28. Ishkhan Sargsyan Ashoti-Yerevan
29. Voskanyan Gagik Ashotovich – Yerevan
30. Hovagimyan Harutyun Yurikovich-Syunik, Kapan
31. Isanyan Aren Ara – Stepanakert
32. Ghazaryan Karen Ashotovich-Tavush, Dilijan
TODAY, there are still dozens of Armenian hostages illegally held by the Azerbaijan’s authorities on the basis of fabricated criminal cases. The confirmed number is 33 including high-ranking former officials of Nagorno-Karabakh, however, according to human rights lawyers representing families of victims at the European Court of Human Rights, there are additional 80 identified hostages via video-evidence. The Azerbaijani government has refused to confirm whether these hostages were dead or alive. Hundreds of Armenian POWs and civilian hostages have been tortured to death, including brutal beheadings executed by hired Syrian terrorists or Azeri forces since 2020.
British Armenian humanitarian group continues to campaign for the most vulnerable hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons whose lives are at risk:
· Ludvig Mkrtchyan (born 1969) and Alyosha Khosrovyan (born 1967) were captured on separate dates in October 2020 during the Azerbaijani military offensive know as 44-day war, they were transported to a Baku prison. The video evidence identified by Ludwig’s wife proved that he was tortured and abused by Azerbaijani soldiers who kicked him on the ground, tortured with a metal stick, he was covered in injured but survived. On August 2, 2021, Ludwig and Alyosha were sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of violating the customs of war, creating illegal armed groups and illegally crossing the border of Azerbaijan. Human rights experts pointed out the lack of evidence of the guilt of Ludvig Mkrtchyan and Alyosha Khosrovyan and the fabrication of trials against Armenian prisoners [1]. At the same time, according to Human Rights Watch, published on the organization’s website, a video was discovered on the Internet confirming the facts of the Azerbaijan’s military’s use of violence, torture and abuse against eight Armenian prisoners of war, including Ludwig Mkrtchyan [2].
· Lebanese citizen of Armenian origin Vigen Euljekchyan (born 1979) was captured along with Maral Najarian on November 10, 2021 near Shushi, while travelling to a hotel in Shushi to pick up personal belongings left behind after the start of the war. Maral Najarian was released on 10 March 2021 however, Vigen Euljekjian was charged falsely and without evidence of terrorism and sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 14, 2021 [3]. His name was published by the Azerbaijani sites as one of the 32 hostages to be released in December 2023. However, the last minute change has occurred and Vicken’s name was withdrawn from the list, another hostage was released instead.
· Charity workers and friends Gevorg Sujyan (born 1989), in the photo above, and David Davtyan (born 1993) were captured, like Vicken and Maral, near Shushi, unknowing that Shushi was handed over on 10 November 2020. They were transported to a Baku jail. On 28 July 2021 two Armenian civilians were sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of “espionage and illegal border crossing” [4]. Charity workers Sujyan and Davtyan, who never participated in the war, and were delivering humanitarian aid, food and medicine to civilian population during the Azerbaijani military aggression in Nagorno-Karabakh.
· In November 2023 Azerbaijani authorities reported that in September 2023, Azerbaijani soldiers captured an elderly Armenian, 71-year-old Madat Babayan, in Artsakh. On 3 November 2023 an Azerbaijan’s court illegally charged Madat Babayan following sham trial [5].
· Armenian citizen from Artsakh, Vagif Khachatryan (born 1955), a retired grandfather, was on his way to Armenia for surgery in the ICRC van on July 29, 2023. He was accompanied by his daughter and two Red Cross officials, when he was taken by force from the ICRC vehicle and abducted by representatives of the Azerbaijan’s border service. It is a war crime to capture civilians inside Red Cross vehicle, but this was ignored by the ICRC that failed to condemn this action. On November 7, 2023 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison on a fabricated case. [6].
We urge the Presidents of USA and France, the United Nations Security Council, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, Prime Minister of UK, international humanitarian organisations to take immediate measures to prevent further loss of lives and release above-mentioned hostages who have been held in Azerbaijani over three years, namely:
· send international observers to visit Armenian hostages and report to families their conditions of detention in Baku prisons;
· negotiate with the leadership of Azerbaijan the release of ALL civilian hostages and prisoners of war illegally held in Baku;
· initiate the introduction of sanctions against Azerbaijan for ongoing war crimes, disrespect for international laws and obligations blinding UN member states and disregard for the Third Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
[2] https://www.hrw.org/ru/news/2020/12/02/377184
[3] https://www.persecution.org/2021/06/16/lebanese-armenian-pow-sentenced-20-years-azerbaijan/
[4] https://www.turan.az/ext/news/2021/7/free/politics_news/en/6233.htm/001
[5]https://abcmedia.am/en/news/6448/
[6] https://turan.az/en/politics/vagif-khachatryan-sentenced-to-15-years-in-prison-updated-771168