Armenia Submits 10 Demands to UN Court for Release of Abducted Officials

“Armenia has appealed to the International Court of the United Nations. We have submitted 10 demands, including that Azerbaijan must refrain from taking punitive measures against current or former political representatives or military personnel of Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Armenia’s representative for international legal issues, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, in an interview with Public Radio.

Commenting on the possibility of releasing the political figures abducted from Artsakh, Kirakosyan noted, “Unfortunately, this is not the first case of abduction and captivity of people from Armenia and Artsakh. They are accused of various crimes. We assume that the same logic will apply to these individuals as well.”

Kirakosyan hopes the court will take measures to prohibit such punitive behavior from Baku, although he does not hold much hope for a ruling. “The likelihood of release is small; I have no grounds to believe the court will make such a decision. I am speaking not only about the international court but also about the European Court of Human Rights. Unfortunately, courts do not intervene in Azerbaijan’s affairs and do not compel Azerbaijan to release these individuals. The only option left is to demand the guarantee of their rights and to prevent illegal processes as much as possible,” Kirakosyan stated.