Azerbaijan Continues to Hold Armenian Prisoners One Year Later, Ministry of Foreign Affairs States

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia has issued a statement marking the anniversary of the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh on September 27.

“On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan, with the direct support and participation of Turkey, as well as the involvement of armed terrorists from the Middle East, launched a large-scale war against the Republic of Artsakh, aiming to deprive the people of Artsakh of their right to live freely and securely in their homeland and to determine their own destiny.

Today, we bow our heads and pay tribute to the memory of our heroes who fell in all wars for Artsakh, who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and dignity of their compatriots.

The war that began on September 27 and lasted 44 days was accompanied by widespread violations of international humanitarian and human rights by Azerbaijan, war crimes, and other mass crimes. During the military operations, Azerbaijani armed forces intentionally targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful settlements, including the capital Stepanakert, resulting in casualties among the civilian population and destruction.

The documented mass crimes have been meticulously recorded and presented to international organizations and specialized international bodies. Efforts in this direction will continue on various international platforms.

The 44-day war was a pre-planned and prepared military aggression aimed at removing the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh from the international agenda through the use of force and the extermination of the Armenian population. Both the actions of Azerbaijan prior to the war and the policies adopted by Azerbaijan after the war demonstrate this intention.

The years-long policy of hatred towards Armenians pursued by the Azerbaijani authorities, threats of the use of force, rejection of proposals by international mediators for conflict resolution and ceasefire consolidation, systematic and periodic violations of ceasefire agreements, large-scale arms accumulations in violation of international obligations, and offensive military exercises along the line of contact, as well as the refusal to join the global ceasefire call by the UN Secretary-General during the pandemic, confirm that Azerbaijan has never been interested in peacefully resolving the conflict.

Azerbaijan has consistently obstructed international efforts, particularly by the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, to establish a humanitarian ceasefire, resulting in the agreements of three ceasefires coordinated at the ministerial level by Russia, France, and the USA remaining unimplemented.

The trilateral statement on the cessation of hostilities initiated by the President of the Russian Federation on November 9, followed by the entry of Russian peacekeepers into Nagorno-Karabakh, halted Azerbaijan's aggression and created conditions for ensuring comprehensive security for the population in Artsakh.

As a result of the aggression unleashed against Artsakh, numerous humanitarian problems have arisen for the Armenian population of Artsakh. More than 90,000 Armenians from Artsakh were forced to leave their permanent residences, a majority of whom have since returned to Artsakh. More than 40,000 people have been deprived of their homes and property, and critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, has been destroyed.

In this regard, the Republic of Armenia places great importance on the uninterrupted access of international humanitarian and other specialized organizations to Artsakh, which is crucial for the comprehensive and effective resolution of the humanitarian crisis resulting from the war.

Approximately one year later, Azerbaijan continues to hold numerous Armenian prisoners of war and civilians hostage, violating both the obligations it assumed under the trilateral statement of November 9 and international humanitarian law.

Azerbaijan's authorities not only continue their hostile policy towards the people of Artsakh but also rename Armenian settlements under their control, destroy and desecrate religious shrines and cultural heritage. These actions and the complete ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population further reveal the reality that guaranteeing the physical security and right to life of Armenians in Artsakh is impossible under Azerbaijan's jurisdiction.

Conditions created by the use of force and massive human rights violations, as well as Azerbaijan's continuing actions in the post-war period, can never establish stable foundations for peace and security in the region.

A comprehensive and lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict necessitates determining the status of Artsakh, considering the exercise of the inalienable right to self-determination, ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh, and the safe and dignified return of displaced people to their homes throughout the entirety of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the preservation of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the territories under Azerbaijani control.

Only agreements reached within the framework of the peace process can open a new page for peace, security, and development in the region.

The Republic of Armenia calls for a full initiation of the peace process for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the auspices and mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. At the same time, urgent prioritization should be given to addressing humanitarian issues, including the repatriation of all prisoners of war and civilian hostages and addressing cases of enforced disappearances.

The Republic of Armenia will remain steadfast in restoring and protecting the rights of the people of Artsakh and will strive to achieve a just, comprehensive, and lasting resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and safeguard the right of the Armenian people to live freely, safely, and with dignity in their homeland,” the statement of the Republic of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads.