Under international law Azerbaijan must immediately release all Armenian POWs, says lawmaker
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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan must immediately release all Armenian prisoners, Member of Parliament Tigran Abrahamyan has said.
Abrahamyan, representing the opposition Pativ Unem faction, said that gross violations of international humanitarian law lead to international responsibility for the country.
Speaking at a parliamentary discussion on the Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan, Abrahamyan said Azerbaijan continues to make threats against Armenia, parallel to hosting COP-29.
He emphasized that the crimes committed by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh is a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, which is an element of a crime against humanity in the charter of the International Criminal Court, ratified by Armenia, as well as several countries participating in the COP-29.
“As a result of the Azerbaijani genocidal policy, 23 Armenians are now in Baku’s prisons according to Azeri official information, and the prisoners include the former military-political leadership of Artsakh. I’d like to remind the Azerbaijani leadership that based on fundamental provisions of international law and human rights, Azerbaijan has an obligation to immediately release all Armenian POWs and captives. Gross violations of international humanitarian law norms unconditionally lead to international responsibility without a statute of limitations for the country and its military-political leadership,” he said.
Abrahamyan stressed that international practice defines that the signing of a peace treaty between countries implies that the return of POWs has taken place, and furthermore it is considered as the first step towards peace.
The MP attached importance to holding the discussion when COP-29 is underway in Baku. He said the Armenian parliament must draw the attention of international actors in the direction of achieving immediate release of Armenian POWs.
“Direct and indirect pressure on Azerbaijan as part of COP29 is more effective. And if the state doesn’t work actively, including on the parliamentary level, it is going to be more difficult later.”
The urgent discussion was initiated by the opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem factions.
The opposition factions submitted a draft statement for adoption but it failed to pass because the ruling Civil Contract faction refused to participate in the vote. The statement garnered only 30 votes from the opposition.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan, representing the Civil Contract faction, said he has an impression that the opposition convened the discussion about the POWs for some other political goals. Whether the POWs will be released or not depends on Armenian diplomacy, and not the session or the statement, he said.
The statement submitted for voting called on the parliament of Armenia to draw the attention of international actors in the direction of immediate release of Armenian captives and POWs held in Azerbaijan. The statement mentioned that Azerbaijan must immediately release all Armenian prisoners.
In October, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Azerbaijan to release the Armenian POWs.
The original version of this article was updated with information about the vote.