Many of you have preferred silence over a principled stand: Oskenyan's letter to foreign ambassadors

"Currently, more than two dozen people, including members of parliament, opposition leaders, representatives of civil society, businessmen, and two high-ranking clergymen of the Armenian Apostolic Church, are in custody not for any verifiably proven crime, but for expressing disagreement with government policies. Their prolonged pretrial detention, often without convincing legal grounds, is a clear violation of both Armenian legislation and international human rights standards," stated former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.

In the letter, he particularly noted:

“Your Excellency,
I write to you with deep concern regarding Armenia's rapid descent into authoritarianism and urge you to immediately and publicly engage with the Armenian authorities regarding the growing number of political prisoners in the country. This is not an isolated case. It reflects a deliberate and systematic campaign of political repression. Armenia's judicial system is increasingly coming under the control of the executive branch. Institutions that previously received support from Western partners to strengthen democratic governance are now being used as weapons against critics. The media, while formally free, is facing increasing political and financial pressure. Independent civil society is shrinking. And perhaps most concerning is that the Armenian Apostolic Church is being targeted through arrests, public slander, and bureaucratic persecution, threatening to destroy the very civilizational basis of our society.

Despite all this, many of you have chosen silence or strategic silence. The ongoing public praise of Armenia's alleged 'democratic resilience' today can only encourage further repression. This is why I call on you to make a public and joint statement regarding the issue of political prisoners in Armenia. Raise the issue directly with the authorities, make official statements, and discuss the possibility of linking democracy support programs with concrete outcomes in the areas of judicial independence, due process, and political pluralism.

The time to act is now, before an entire generation loses hope for democracy in Armenia, which it once had. I sincerely urge you not to remain silent.”