The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been ordered to leave Azerbaijan. In response to an inquiry from CivilNet, an ICRC spokesperson said Wednesday: “We have been made aware of the Azerbaijani government’s intentions for the ICRC to close our delegation in Azerbaijan. We are currently in contact with authorities, and these conversations are part of our confidential and bilateral dialogue.”
The eviction of the ICRC is particularly concerning, as it remains the only organization with access to Armenian prisoners currently on trial in Baku and the only body authorized to visit and report on Armenian POWs. Armenia has indicated that Azerbaijan is holding 32 additional prisoners beyond the 23 it officially acknowledges, but their fate remains unknown.
Without ICRC visits, Armenian prisoners in Baku will be virtually cut off from the outside world, unable to report on their condition, as the organization is their conduit for speaking with their families from time to time.
There are officially 23 Armenians in Azerbaijani captivity, including 16 captured after Azerbaijan attacked Artsakh on September 19-20, 2023, including former presidents of Artsakh Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan, Parliament Speaker David Ishkhanyan, former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, and Deputy Commander of the Defense Army Davit Manukyan. Baku has brought serious charges against them, which carry penalties of up to life imprisonment.