{"id":1209,"date":"2025-06-06T11:01:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T11:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freearmenianhostages.net\/?p=1209"},"modified":"2025-06-06T11:01:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T11:01:43","slug":"the-azerbaijani-false-manipulation-has-been-exposed-no-statement-was-made-against-armenian-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freearmenianhostages.net\/?p=1209","title":{"rendered":"The Azerbaijani false manipulation has been exposed: no statement was made against Armenian prisoners."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On March 6, 2025, several Azerbaijani media outlets [source one<\/a>, source two<\/a>] circulated reports claiming that members of the Saeima (Parliament) of the Republic of Latvia had issued a statement in February regarding individuals captured as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including political and military prisoners such as Ruben Vardanyan \u2014 a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, businessman, and former State Minister of Artsakh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to those sources, the Latvian MPs allegedly portrayed Vardanyan as an \u201cinternational threat,\u201d a \u201cPutin ally,\u201d and called for harsh punishment, stressing what they claimed was \u201cinternational condemnation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Given that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia issued no official response to these claims \u2014 despite the extreme importance of the matter, particularly concerning prisoners of war \u2014 I, as a Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and a member of the Armenia\u2013Latvia Parliamentary Friendship Group, decided to personally verify the accuracy of the information presented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I contacted several Latvian MPs whose names appeared in the reports, and I received clear responses categorically refuting the claims published in Azerbaijani media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u2714\ufe0f\" Latvian MP Edgars Tavars, in a written reply to me, confirmed that there was no such statement or document in existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Furthermore, Gun\u0101rs K\u016btris, head of the Latvian parliamentary group for promoting cooperation with Armenia, officially stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI inform you that no such signatures or letter were made. It is fake news, and an investigation has been launched regarding this matter. On behalf of the group for promoting cooperation with the Armenian Parliament, I express regret over such a situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The official clarifications received confirm that the so-called \u201cstatement\u201d does not actually exist and is disinformation disseminated by the Azerbaijani side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u2757\ufe0f\"Notably, the alleged statement referred not only to Vardanyan but also to several Armenian prisoners of war, whose freedom and rights are among the highest constitutional responsibilities of our state. It is regrettable that Armenia\u2019s foreign policy leadership not only failed to respond to this false narrative but also took no steps to present the truth and defend national dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udd39\" The issue of prisoners of war must not be abandoned in Armenia\u2019s foreign policy agenda. It is precisely to fill this gap that I took the initiative to establish direct communication and obtain clarifications \u2014 acting solely on my own initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\ud83d\udce2\" This case once again demonstrates how Azerbaijan continues to weaponize disinformation and simulate fake international reactions to mislead the global community and impose its military-political agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it shows how Nikol Pashinyan\u2019s administration has effectively removed the issue of Armenian captives from the foreign policy agenda. Just yesterday, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that the issue of prisoners was discussed around COP29 (a year ago) \u2014 with no result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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