“There have been suicide attempts among Armenian captives held in Baku prisons,” Siranush Sahakyan, the legal representative of the prisoners at the European Court, told Azatutyun today.
According to the human rights lawyer, the captives recently had phone conversations with their relatives, during which the suicide attempts became known. Without naming individuals, Sahakyan only clarified that those who attempted suicide were not among Artsakh’s political-military leadership, but other prisoners.
“In other words, after the suspension of visits by the Red Cross, such attempts have occurred and been repeated, which shows a direct link between the suspension of the Red Cross’s activities, the isolation, and human suffering,” the lawyer emphasized.
Despair deepens: Armenian captives face complete isolation, warns lawyer
The prisoners’ representative at the European Court warns that the captives have been in total isolation for about two months, with no independent international body having visited them. There is no information about their living conditions, health, or psychological state.
The last visit by the International Committee of the Red Cross to Armenian captives was in June. As of today, at the request of the Azerbaijani authorities, the organization has ceased all its activities in Baku.
“In recent days, phone calls have taken place, and families told us that through these conversations they have already noticed serious health problems and, of course, a severe psychological state. Despair is deepening,” emphasized Sahakyan.
The suffering of captives and their families continues
About a month has passed since U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement on the release of 23 Armenian captives held in Baku prisons, and since the preliminary signing of the peace agreement. However, no progress has been made. Despite both sides declaring that peace has been established, the suffering of 23 Armenian captives in Baku prisons and their families continues.
On August 8, at the White House meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Donald Trump personally promised to raise the issue of the 23 Christian captives with Azerbaijan’s president:
“So, you are saying 23 Christians are being held there. I will ask him, I think he will do it for me.”
It is unknown whether the U.S. president has indeed appealed to Azerbaijan’s president after this statement, urging the release of the Armenian captives, including Artsakh’s political-military leadership. No official information is available. It is also unclear whether discussions have taken place between Armenian and Azerbaijani officials following Trump’s statement.
However, Hraparak wrote today that, following Trump’s statement, the issue of the captives was discussed on August 30 between Armenia’s Security Council Secretary, Armen Grigoryan, and Aliyev’s advisor, Hikmet Hajiyev. According to the outlet, the phone call was initiated by the Azerbaijani side. Hraparak reported that Hajiyev stated that Azerbaijan could not fulfill Trump’s demand to release all Armenian prisoners and captives. He also expressed dissatisfaction that Armenia’s representative in Washington used the term “Christian prisoners,” saying that this harms the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.
Asked whether such a phone conversation took place, Armenia’s Security Council office told Azatutyun they had no such information.
Captives will remain as hostages to advance Azerbaijan’s preconditions – Human rights lawyer
Siranush Sahakyan, the captives’ representative at the European Court, meanwhile, is convinced that Armenian captives in Baku prisons will not be released at this stage. According to her, Azerbaijan will take that step only during the final stage of the peace agreement, while the captives will remain as hostages to push forward Azerbaijani preconditions: “Yes, I believe they will be released closer to the ratification stage, when the peace process enters its final phase,” she stressed.
One of Baku’s preconditions – the dissolution of the Minsk Group – has already been implemented by Armenia. Another Azerbaijani demand – the amendment of Armenia’s Constitution – is more complicated, according to the lawyer, and may delay the ratification of the peace agreement.
Trials of Armenian captives continue in Baku
For about 8 months, trials have been ongoing at Baku’s military court against Artsakh’s former State Minister, philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, and 15 other Armenian captives, including former leaders of Artsakh, all without the presence of independent organizations or media.
In the case of Ruben Vardanyan, who never held a military position, testimony is still being heard from Azerbaijani soldiers who were injured at various times during their service.
Meanwhile, in the case of Artsakh’s political-military leadership, the Baku military court yesterday read out testimonies given during the investigation by former National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, Defense Army Commander General Levon Mnatsakanyan, and his deputy, General Davit Manukyan. In a video released by Azerbaijan’s state news agency Azertaj, the main claim was that during the war in the 1990s, arms and equipment were supplied from Armenia.
Translated from Azatutyun.am