From November 4 to 7, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council was held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In its official statement, the Council presented the issues it discussed, including the issue of captives.
Lawyer Ara Ghazaryan delivered a report on the judicial proceedings being carried out against military and civilian detainees held in Baku, as well as on the protection of the rights of Armenians of Artsakh. He presented alarming cases of human rights violations committed by Azerbaijan and emphasized that the so-called trials being conducted have no connection with justice and contradict the fundamental provisions of international humanitarian law.
The speaker highlighted the importance of the involvement of both the Church and international organizations, as well as the implementation of legal actions through the European Court of Human Rights and the UN human rights bodies, aimed at securing the release of the captives.
The Supreme Spiritual Council emphasized the need for continuous attention and coordinated efforts regarding the issue of captives. It reaffirmed the Church’s readiness to continue its efforts, in cooperation with Sister Churches and international religious organizations, to contribute to the return of the captives and the application of legitimate mechanisms for the protection of human rights.