American-Canadian entrepreneur and investor Noubar Afeyan, the co-founder of the American Moderna biotechnology company and founder of Flagship Pioneering venture capital company, has expressed hope that the Armenian POWs held unlawfully in Azerbaijan will be released soon.
Speaking to reporters, Afeyan said that over the past two years, continuous efforts have been made to draw the attention of the Armenian government, as well as world leaders, to this issue.
“They’re trying, and I hope we’ll succeed. I know this is an important issue, and it’s being raised by various countries,” he said when asked on the matter on the sidelines of the Silicon Mountains 2025 forum in Yerevan.
“Hopefully, this peace process will ultimately lead to peace and justice. I believe peace is essential from every perspective.”
Several prominent Karabakh politicians are among the POWs held in Azerbaijan.
When the entire Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh was fleeing to Armenia during the 2023 September Azerbaijani offensive, several 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 Ruben Vardanyan.
Noubar Afeyan and Ruben Vardanyan are the co-founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. Afeyan has described Vardanyan as his ‘longtime friend.’
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated earlier in September that his administration is working daily to secure the release of the remaining Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan.