“Everyone Will Return”: Speaker reaffirms commitment to repatriating Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan

The Armenian government is doing everything to secure the release of all Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan reiterated on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Simonyan, a senior member of the ruling Civil Contract party, expressed confidence that all captives will eventually be repatriated as a result of the government’s efforts. 

He said that nearly 200 Armenians were held by Azerbaijan in the immediate aftermath of the 2020 war, most of whom were later released, and that 23 confirmed Armenian captives remain in Azerbaijan today.

“We have had up to 200 captives. Now, as of today, there are 23 confirmed captives. Let us wait, and I am confident that thanks to these steps, that number will eventually reach zero and everyone will return. The former leaders of Karabakh will also return, as will all those who were captured and are currently in prisons there. Our government has done and will continue to do everything to ensure that everyone, without exception, returns to the Republic of Armenia,” Simonyan said.

He said his optimism is based on previous experience in securing the release of POWs and captives, as well as ongoing efforts.

“I am saying that after the war we had up to 200 confirmed captives, and today we have 23 captives — ten times fewer. This is a basis I can rely on. And I know what efforts are being made by the government, by myself, and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” the Speaker of the National Assembly emphasized.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated on multiple occasions that his administration is carrying out daily work to secure the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has acknowledged 23 Armenians in its custody.

When the entire Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh fled to Armenia during the 2023 September Azerbaijani offensive, a number of high-ranking then-incumbent and former statesmen and officials were detained and charged with what has been widely described as fabricated charges, including terrorism. The detainees and POWs include ex-presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, then-Speaker of Parliament Davit Ishkhanyan, former FM Davit Babayan, former Defense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan, as well as former State Minister, entrepreneur and Aurora Humanitarian Initiative co-founder Ruben Vardanyan. 

Azerbaijani prosecutors have requested prison terms ranging from 16 years to life imprisonment for the ex-leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh on many charges, including terrorism. Three former presidents are among the 23 prisoners captured by Azerbaijan after it militarily took over Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. Some experts have branded the subsequent trials as “sham trials.”

According to Azerbaijani media reports, prosecutors have asked the court in Baku to sentence former Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former army chief Levon Mnatsakanyan, former deputy army chief Davit Manukyan, former Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs David Babayan to life imprisonment. Prosecutors seek 20-year sentences for ex-presidents Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, as the law prohibits life sentences for defendants aged 65 or above.

The other prisoners face prison terms ranging from 16 to 20 years.

Former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan’s trial is being held separately.