US Senators Call on Biden Administration Regarding Former Leaders of Artsakh and Armenian Population

A group of U.S. senators has sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging President Joe Biden's administration to ensure the release of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan and the right of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh to return to their homeland. This was reported in a statement released by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), detailing that the call was made by Senators Ed Markey (Democrat, Massachusetts), Bill Cassidy (Republican, Louisiana), Thom Tillis (Republican, North Carolina), and Gary Peters (Democrat, Michigan).

The senators emphasized that Azerbaijan has faced minimal repercussions from the international community for its continued detention of former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh and other officials. “The Biden-Harris administration's failure to hold Azerbaijan accountable for the genocide in Artsakh, the occupation of Armenian territories, and the ongoing detention of Armenian prisoners and political leaders has not only undermined efforts for sustainable and just peace but has also emboldened growing threats of renewed aggression by Azerbaijan,” stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hambaryan, thanking the senators for pressing the administration and calling for accountability for Azerbaijan.

He asserted that any resolution through negotiations must align with the fundamental rights of the Armenian population of Artsakh to live peacefully and securely in their native homeland. The letter calls for the State Department to characterize the events in Nagorno-Karabakh as ethnic cleansing and emphasizes the need for the Biden administration to firmly defend and guarantee the Armenians' right to return to their homes with international guarantees.

While the Biden administration has made several public statements affirming the right of the Nagorno-Karabakh population to return, no tangible actions have been taken to ensure the safe conditions necessary to protect them from persecution should they be allowed to return to their homes. In commenting on the status of peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the senators noted that Azerbaijan's attempts to decapitate the political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh represent “the well-known tactics of ethnic cleansers.” The letter specifically highlights the continued illegal detention of both current and former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, including former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan, former state minister Ruben Vardanyan, former minister of foreign affairs David Babayan, former parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan, and others.