PACE urges Azerbaijan to release former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders and other POWs

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a new resolution calling on Azerbaijan to release the detained Artsakh leadership and other Armenian prisoners of war held in Baku, accoring to a statement released by PACE.

The resolution has addressed the former military and political representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and other individuals held in prison in Azerbaijan on illegal and trumped-up charges, calling on Azerbaijan to release these people.

“The Assembly continues to monitor the situation of detained representatives of Nagorno- Karabakh and all Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan, reiterating its call for their release," the resolution states.

PACE voiced deep concern over the deterioration of democracy and the rule of law and human rights in Azerbaijan. 

The Assembly condemns the violence against political and civil society activists, media representatives, and other government critics.

The resolution urges the Azerbaijani authorities to end persecution and immediately release all individuals detained on politically motivated charges.

It also emphasizes the need to amend the Laws on Political Parties and Media in accordance with the Venice Commission’s recommendations.

The resolution further notes that the 2024 presidential elections in Azerbaijan did not meet international democratic standards and were held under restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly.

Azerbaijan has confirmed that it is holding 23 Armenian prisoners of war, including former military-political leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh.

These individuals were illegally arrested and transferred to Baku following Azerbaijan’s military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.

Currently, sham trials of Armenian prisoners of war are taking place in Baku.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced that Armenia has intelligence data indicating that the Azerbaijani authorities are using banned psychoactive methods against the Armenian prisoners in order to extort narratives or testimonies aimed at inciting regional escalation.