Four Armenian civilian hostages were released unexpectedly from Baku prison on 14 January 2026, without any prior notice to families:

Vicken Euljekjian (born in 1979) sentenced to 20 year of imprisonment in baku sham trials in summer 2021

Gevork Sujyan (born in 1989) sentenced to 15 years imprisonment 

Davit Davtyan (born in 1993) sentenced to 15 years imprisonment

Vagif Khatchatryan (age 70) sentenced to 15 years imprisonment 

Let us recap that all Armenians released on that day, were not prisoners of war, but post-war hostages, as they were captured after the announcement of the trilateral Ceasefire at midnight on 10 November 2020. Lebanese-Armenian Vicken Euljekjian’s  personal car was captured by two Azerbaijani soldiers just hours after the Ceasefire, near Shushi. Gevorg Sujyan and Davit Davtyan, friends and charity workers delivering food and medicine to Stepanakert, were likewise captured in their vehicle near Shushi, only a day later, on 11 November 2020. Meanwhile, the fourth hostage, 68-year-old Vagif Khatchatryan, pensioner from Artsakh, was captured from the Red Cross vehicle on the border crossing by Azerbaijani soldiers and taken to Baku prison. His health had vastly deteriorated in prison, currently the seventy-year-old is undergoing surgery in a Yerevan hospital.

Many activists, international organizations, politicians, human rights lawyers had worked on the cases of Armenian civilian hostages and POWs, who were nonetheless sentenced to 10, 15 and 20 years of imprisonment in sham Baku trials. In the last five years, dozens have been released in small groups, but hundreds are still missing, according to human rights lawyers who follow the cases.

While there are still 19 civilian hostages and POWs held by Azerbaijan, caution and discretion at this point are necessary to protect their lives and to foresee their release in coming months.

Our own campaign for the liberation of Armenian civilian hostages and prisoners of war started five years ago, in January 2021 with silent protests, letters, and meetings with political and religious leaders, and the present global petition to world leaders that has gathered almost 45,000 signatures. Yet none of us expected that it would take five years and more for their release.

There are now 19 Armenian hostages held unlawfully by Azerbaijani regime, while politicians talk about peace...Some of them have been sentenced to life-long imprisonment, left without legal assistance and as the Red Cross office has been closed down by Azerbaijani authorities, nobody visits Armenian captives any longer. 

Therefore, the battle for their liberation must continue, as we realize that hostages have become bargaining chips for all sides, and because the rights of hostages and their families are marginalized and disregarded in this increasingly lawless and unjust world of mayhem of our times. 

PLEASE CONTINUE SHARING THE PETITION!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT