Alen Simonyan ready to visit Azerbaijan

National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan suggested during a parliamentary briefing that he is prepared to travel to Azerbaijan “when the moment is right,” even as Azerbaijani authorities continue to hold Armenian captives. He also indicated he would be willing to host Azerbaijani parliamentary speaker Sahiba Gafarova in Armenia “in any format,” according to reporting from Auroranews.

Simonyan acknowledged that he has not received any official invitation from Baku, yet repeatedly stressed that he remains open to the idea. When pressed by reporters on whether such a visit is appropriate while Armenian prisoners remain jailed in Azerbaijan, he dismissed concerns with a vague retort about what he means by the word “discuss,” offering no concrete explanation.

He further claimed that Azerbaijan’s refusal to attend the May 2026 European Political Community summit in Yerevan has “nothing to do with Armenia,” repeating Baku’s line that the decision stems from its relations with the European Union. According to Simonyan, Gafarova personally relayed this message and insisted it was unrelated to Armenia’s position—an assertion many observers find difficult to take at face value.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani media report that state prosecutors are seeking harsh sentences, including multiple life terms against leading former Artsakh officials: ex-presidents Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, and Bako Sahakyan; former foreign minister Davit Babayan; former Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan; former Defense Army commanders; and several senior parliamentarians. Other prisoners are facing sentences ranging from 16 to 19 years.

Simonyan’s statements, offered amid these escalating prosecutions, have drawn criticism for projecting eagerness to engage with Baku while failing to demand meaningful guarantees or accountability for Armenia’s imprisoned citizens.