Regarding the issue of prisoners of war, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has done everything possible, yet Armenia still has prisoners of war in Baku
On December 9, the session of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) began in Yerevan. As part of the event, PACE Secretary General Despina Chatzivassiliou-Tsovilis also arrived in Armenia.
In a conversation with journalists, Vladimir Vardanyan, a deputy of the Civil Contract faction in the National Assembly, stated that PACE has done everything possible regarding the issue of prisoners of war.
The resolutions adopted by PACE have clearly addressed the issue of prisoners of war and their immediate repatriation. In other words, we cannot demand anything more from PACE, as all the agenda items related to prisoners of war that have been raised have received their appropriate resolutions.
According to official data, 23 Armenian prisoners of war are being held in Baku, including members of Artsakh’s military-political leadership. In September, Armenia’s Office of the Representative on International Legal Matters announced that Baku is detaining 8 high-ranking officials, 10 military personnel, and 5 civilians.
In early September, Baku stated that former Artsakh officials would soon face trial. All of them are accused of serious crimes, ranging from terrorism to the formation and financing of illegal armed groups. If these charges are confirmed in court, they face sentences of up to life imprisonment.