U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee advances amendment calling for release of Armenian POWs and political prisoners

(Horizon Media / WASHINGTON, D.C.) — A bipartisan amendment calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners of war and political prisoners held by Azerbaijan has advanced through the House Foreign Affairs Committee and will now proceed to a full committee roll call vote.

The amendment to the House Foreign Service Act (H.R. 9086), introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Vice-Chair Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), received the support of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL).

“Azerbaijan’s illegal detention of Armenian hostages for nearly 1000 days is a human rights crisis that demands strong Congressional action,” stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We welcome Chairman Mast’s support for the Sherman amendment and the committee’s strong bipartisan stand that these hostages must be freed — immediately and unconditionally.”

The amendment declares that Azerbaijan should immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners of war and political prisoners.

During the markup, Sherman cited documented abuses in Azerbaijani custody and battlefield executions of Armenian POWs.

“Given documented executions of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijani forces, including several executions which were horrifically recorded and distributed on social media, as documented by Human Rights Watch, it is vital that the United States clearly advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian POWs,” Sherman told the committee.

An earlier version of the amendment included a provision calling for full enforcement of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, but Sherman agreed to remove that language after Chairman Mast expressed support for the prisoner release provision while objecting to the Section 907 language.

The amendment will next face a recorded vote before the full House Foreign Affairs Committee before potentially advancing to the House floor. ANCA, meanwhile, said it will continue advocating for additional accountability measures against Azerbaijan, including sanctions and enforcement of Section 907.