Why Russian Delegates Voted Against and Abstained on the Agenda Regarding Armenian Prisoners of War

The issue of Armenian prisoners of war has been included in the agenda of the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which is being held in a hybrid format. PACE has decided to hold urgent discussions on the topics of "Alexei Navalny's Arrest and Imprisonment in January 2021" and "The Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Turkey," as well as to continue discussions on "Covid Passports or Certificates: Protection of Fundamental Rights and Legal Consequences" and "Armenian Prisoners of War, Other Prisoners, and Displaced Persons."

A total of 93 delegates voted in favor of the agenda, 21 against, and 18 abstained. On social media, particularly among the Armenian community on Facebook, users are actively discussing the voting results. It is noted that among the 21 delegates who voted against, 5 are Russian, 8 are Turkish, 6 are Azerbaijani, 1 is Serbian, and 1 is Hungarian. The remaining 7 Russian delegates abstained from voting.

Armenian users are making various posts accusing the Russian delegates of not voting in favor of the agenda. Many even labeled this act as betrayal, saying, "If anyone mentions that 'Russia is our friend,' they should remember today’s vote." Meanwhile, there is an opinion that the reason for the Russian delegates voting against has nothing to do with the issue of Armenian prisoners. In particular, it is pointed out that other matters included in the agenda do not serve Russia's interests, and the agenda is voted on not by individual issues but in its entirety, which is the reason behind the Russian delegates voting against or abstaining.