This is what Jonathan Spangenberg, the chairman of the Central Council of Armenians in Germany, said in a conversation with Aravot.
Jonathan Spangenberg is actively involved in the defense and release of Armenian prisoners. He says he is also working on this issue with Germany’s political sphere. “But it is very important that this becomes a pan-Armenian issue, because they are Armenians and should not be in Baku. We are also working to get the international media to cover this issue. So we are working in two directions. In recent days, we participated in the Freedom Forum held in Oslo and raised this issue,” he said.
According to Jonathan Spangenberg, the main theme of the Freedom Forum in Oslo was the fight against authoritarian states. And in this context, they emphasized the importance of raising the issue of the rights of the people of Artsakh, and Armenians in general, at such forums. “What the genocidal Aliyev wants is for this to be forgotten—if it’s forgotten, they will move forward,” he added.
According to Jonathan Spangenberg, the Armenians held in Baku’s prisons are hostages, as they were arrested as a result of the forced depopulation of Artsakh. “They wanted to detain the military-political leadership of Artsakh to send a message to the Armenians of Artsakh—that there is no return. This also aims to apply psychological pressure on Armenian society. I want to stress that the entire Armenian nation must be involved in making this issue a top priority. And I am convinced that through united efforts, international pressure will increase. I know that serious work is being done in the political sphere, including with German political circles,” he noted.
Read also: Why I Participated in the Oslo Freedom Forum and What I Learned by Jonathan Spangenberg
Spangenberg stated that the Republic of Armenia, as a state, is not doing enough to secure the release of Armenian prisoners. If Armenia raises the issue of the prisoners more forcefully, the international community will pay greater attention. When asked whether peace is possible under conditions where Armenian prisoners are being unlawfully held in Baku and Artsakh is under occupation, Spangenberg responded:
“My personal view is that there can be no peace while Armenians are being sentenced in Baku on fabricated charges. This issue must be brought up in every peace negotiation. It is the bare minimum that must be raised—it cannot be ignored. Before any peace agreement is signed, all Armenians held in Baku’s prisons must be released. What kind of peace are we talking about? The entire act committed against Artsakh was a genocidal act. If peace is the goal, then the right of return for the Armenians of Artsakh must be put on the agenda. They were displaced through brute force, in gross violation of international law, through a genocidal act. And we cannot allow this to be forgotten. These issues must be raised clearly if we are to achieve real peace.”
Regarding the right of return for the people of Artsakh, Spangenberg said that the right exists and must be exercised by the people of Artsakh. However, no one should return without international security guarantees. “And again, we return to the issue of hostages—Aliyev is saying: ‘If you return, this is your fate.’ If the hostages are released, it will be a sign that progress is being made on the return of the displaced. I want to stress that in this entire process, the criminal nature of the actions must always be emphasized—Ilham Aliyev’s crimes. This movement must ultimately lead to bringing this murderer and genocidaire before the International Criminal Court. The world needs to see what has happened,” he concluded.
For more, see the video (In Armenian):