Karekin II Prepares to Address Pope Francis on the Issue of Prisoners

The spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, is preparing to approach Pope Francis regarding the return of Armenian prisoners illegally held in Azerbaijan. He made this announcement today at the "Yerablur" military pantheon while responding to journalists' questions.

The spiritual leader also addressed the issue of vandalism against Armenian structures, including monasteries and churches, remaining under Azerbaijani control. "We condemn such phenomena and are making efforts to ensure that the international community also speaks out against them," said the Catholicos.

Karekin II expressed gratitude to Russia, particularly to Patriarch Kirill I of All Russia, for their support. He noted that it is thanks to the Russian Patriarch that Dadivank is currently able to continue its spiritual services.

It is noteworthy that there is no exact information regarding the number of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan. On January 18, the office of Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan announced that the data concerning the prisoners in Armenia and Azerbaijan is confidential and not subject to publication due to the highly sensitive nature of the issue.