YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. The International and Comparative Law Center (ICLaw) in partnership with the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights (ALC) has filed seven new cases to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) requesting to apply “interim measures” for Armenian prisoners of war taken captive by Azerbaijan in violation of international humanitarian law and the 2020 November 9 trilateral ceasefire statement, the Armenian Weekly reports.

“Azerbaijan’s continued failure to acknowledge the existence of all Armenian POWs is an outrage and yet another example of its depraved indifference to human life,” stated ALC chairperson Kenneth Hachikian. “It is time for the international community to stop emboldening dictator Aliyev and demand that Azerbaijan comply with its obligations under the 1949 Geneva Conventions.”  

Having gathered strong direct evidence of identity and continued captivity, ICLaw’s application for interim measures represents the first step in forcing Azerbaijan to acknowledge the captive existence of these Armenians and ensuring that they have access to international humanitarian organizations while in captivity, including visits by the International Committee for the Red Cross.  

As a result of the partnership of two companies based in Yerevan and Washingon, cases of nearly 100 Armenian POWs have been filed to the ECHR. Recently, ICLaw, with the support of ALC, gathered information on 90 additional POWs held by Azerbaijan. The companies will continue to pursue both the freedom and the right to life of all Armenian POWs.