Human Rights Defender Presents Azerbaijani Crimes and Urgency of Prisoner Returns to Caroline Cox

The Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan met with Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, on April 27. This was reported by the office of the Human Rights Defender.

The Defender expressed gratitude to Baroness Cox for raising the issue of the inhumane treatment of Armenian prisoners by Azerbaijan during a question and answer session in the UK Parliament, as well as the use of banned weaponry during the conflict.

During the meeting, Arman Tatoyan presented evidence of how anti-Armenian sentiment and Armenian genocide are encouraged by the highest authorities of Azerbaijan. He remarked that the so-called 'exhibition park' in Baku related to the war from September to November 2020 is proof of state-sponsored genocidal policy.

The Defender drew attention to the fact that mannequins of Armenian soldiers are displayed in a dehumanized state at that location, which is even accessible to young children.

Arman Tatoyan also addressed the urgency of returning Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, noting that the attitude of Azerbaijani authorities grossly violates international requirements by presenting prisoners as 'terrorists' or 'saboteurs.'

He stated that all Armenian servicemen and civilians who have been captured by Azerbaijani armed forces during the ongoing armed conflict are prisoners of war and must be immediately released and returned home without any political or other preconditions.

The Azerbaijani authorities are artificially delaying and politicizing the process, grossly violating the rights of the prisoners and their families, causing them pain and creating tension in society.

Baroness Caroline Cox praised the work of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, and both parties expressed willingness to expand areas of cooperation.