Luis Moreno Ocampo calls for COP29 Summit to address release of Armenians held in Azerbaijani prisons

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo,  has urged that the release of Armenians held in Azerbaijani prisons be included in the agenda of the COP29 Summit, scheduled to take place in Baku in November 2024.

Speaking at a press conference, Ocampo called on the Summit's participants and decision-makers to address the issue.

Ocampo emphasized the importance of not overlooking the issue of Armenians held in captivity in Azerbaijan during the Summit. He expressed hope that the Armenian captives would be released before the event. According to Ocampo, the individuals detained in Baku should be considered captives, not prisoners of war.

"The people who are now in Baku's prisons were simply the leaders of Artsakh," Ocampo stated, drawing a parallel to the 1915 events when the primary mission of the Turks was to eliminate Armenian leaders. "This situation is similar to what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh," he added, reaffirming his stance that the release of the former military-political leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh should be a key topic at the COP29 Summit.

Ocampo's main message is: "Release the Armenian hostages, stop the genocide."