Marukyan Addresses the Issue of Armenian Prisoners in Azerbaijan at PACE

The head of the "Enlightened Armenia" faction in the National Assembly and a member of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Edmon Marukyan, has labeled the actions of Azerbaijan as terrorist because of the country's failure to return Armenian prisoners of war and civilians.

Marukyan called on the PACE to exert pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities regarding this issue. “The ECHR has accepted interim measures against Azerbaijan, but they disregard the decisions of the Supreme Court; moreover, they have even killed prisoners of war afterwards. Azerbaijan glorifies its soldiers who behead Armenian prisoners of war and decapitate the heads of peaceful elderly residents of Shushi. And after all this, they speak of trust and peace. I believe we have two possible outcomes from this situation: one is to proceed along the lines proposed by the Azerbaijani delegate, that is, the path of peace, and to free Armenian prisoners of war and civilians, and only then speak of other issues. If they continue to hold our prisoners of war and civilians in their jails, we must note that this is the modus operandi of a terrorist country, that you are terrorists,” stated Marukyan.

The parliament member emphasized that only terrorists take hostages and then impose preconditions for their release. “How can a country that behaves like a terrorist be a member of the Council of Europe, where the rule of law, human rights, and democracy are foundational principles? That is why I urge you, the international community, the Council of Europe, all member states of this organization, and all relevant bodies of the Council of Europe to apply pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities to demand the release of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians. Otherwise, Azerbaijan will be regarded as a terrorist state that holds hostages and uses them against another member state of the Council of Europe to impose new preconditions after the signing of a ceasefire document,” asserted Edmon Marukyan.

He added that Armenia has fulfilled all points stipulated by the ceasefire agreement, while Azerbaijan is violating its eighth point by not releasing our prisoners of war and civilians. “Thus, I call on all members of the Council of Europe to exert pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities to release Armenian prisoners of war and civilians,” concluded Marukyan.