Swedish Parliament Members Urge Azerbaijan to Immediately Release Armenian Prisoners

The Friendship Group with Armenia in the Swedish Parliament has called on Azerbaijan to expedite the return of Armenian prisoners of war. This was reported by the Armenian embassy in Stockholm.

Members of the parliamentary group, Arin Karapet, Björn Söder, and Fredrik Malm, issued a joint statement expressing concern over Azerbaijan's unconstructive approach. They emphasized that the country is politicizing humanitarian issues while attempting to block access for international organizations, including the UN, to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, thereby hindering the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Referring to the eighth point of the statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia on November 10, 2020, the MPs called on Azerbaijan to “accelerate the exchange of the remains of deceased persons, as well as prisoners of war and captives, halt criminal proceedings against them, and ensure their transfer to the Republic of Armenia.”

“The unconditional and immediate return of prisoners of war will be one of the first steps towards restoring a trust-based atmosphere between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia. We also urge the institutions of the European Union to consistently raise this humanitarian issue within the context of current and future relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the lawmakers stated in their announcement.