Armenian Foreign Ministry Statement on Prisoners of War

The Armenian Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the criminal prosecution of Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan.

We strongly condemn the fact of criminal prosecution by official Baku against Ludvik Mkrtchyan and Alyosha Khosrovyan, who were captured during the recent aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh. According to international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions, they are considered prisoners of war, who must be immediately released following the end of hostilities.

However, Azerbaijan has initiated false criminal cases against them, thereby openly violating both international humanitarian law norms and its obligations under the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020. Despite numerous calls from the international community, Azerbaijan continues to use Armenian captives as political hostages and maintains practices of torture and psychological pressure against them.

It is necessary to emphasize that Azerbaijan has yet to hold accountable those who have exhibited brutal and inhuman treatment towards Armenian prisoners of war and civilians, including committing murders, despite the documented and publicized crimes committed by these individuals.

Official Baku also openly disregards the relevant decisions of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the provision of information about Armenian soldiers and civilians captured in Azerbaijan. As a result, on March 9, 2021, in accordance with Article 39, Part 2 of the Court's Rules of Procedure, the European Court of Human Rights decided to notify the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe about the interim measures taken against Azerbaijan.

Armenian prisoners of war and civilians held hostage in Azerbaijan, regardless of their duration and circumstances of captivity, must be promptly released and repatriated without any preconditions.