Naira Zohrabyan Raises the Issue of Armenian Prisoners of War at the PACE

"Have you counted how many dawns and how many nights there are in 8 months? For that many dawns and that many nights, Armenian mothers have been waiting for their sons who were taken captive," stated NA member Naira Zohrabyan today in Strasbourg.

Zohrabyan urged the Council of Europe to impose clear sanctions on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners of war and detentions.

In her speech, Zohrabyan stated, "Dear colleagues, I thought that eight months after the devastating war in Artsakh, I would no longer have to speak from this podium about the hundreds of prisoners of war and detained civilians. I should not have to say that Azerbaijan, a member of the Council of Europe, continues to disregard international law and the demands of both our institution and all European organizations that require Azerbaijan to release all prisoners of war and detainees immediately.
And while our institution, the European Parliament, international human rights organizations, and the Minsk Group co-chairs issue dozens of statements demanding the release of prisoners of war, since May 12, about 1,000 Azerbaijani soldiers have invaded the sovereign territory of Armenia, taking position, killing Armenian soldiers, and capturing 6 Armenian soldiers from the area protected by the Armenian armed forces. Border incidents and clashes with soldiers and residents of border communities are provoked every day. An Armenian villager living on the border has no guarantee that he will leave his home and not be captured or killed.
And then, dear colleagues, how many more fruitless statements and calls must our institution make before we finally understand that Azerbaijan does not comprehend the language of civilized law, and specific sanctions must be applied against this country? Don’t forget that Azerbaijan has already brutally killed 19 captured Armenians.
Have you counted how many dawns and how many nights there are in 8 months? For that many dawns and that many nights, Armenian mothers are waiting for their detained sons, 26 of whom, Azerbaijan has already passed guilty verdicts against as terrorists and diversants, and sent their cases to court.
Dear colleagues, if you truly care about returning the prisoners of war, then our Assembly must now impose specific sanctions against Azerbaijan. Suspend the delegation powers of that country, demand a ban on the European bank accounts of Aliyev, his family, and key political figures of that country, and put an end to this nightmare that has lasted for 8 months."