Siranush Sahakyan raises plight of Armenian prisoners in high-level meetings in Ottawa

OTTAWA— Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan held a series of high-level meetings in Ottawa on October 7 and 8 with senior Canadian government officials, parliamentarians and representatives of Global Affairs Canada to discuss the continued detention of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan and ongoing international legal efforts to secure their rights and release.

A key component of the visit was a meeting with officials at Global Affairs Canada, where Sahakyan outlined the human rights violations facing Armenian prisoners in Baku, concerns surrounding the judicial proceedings against them and the legal cases being pursued before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

During her visit, Sahakyan also met with Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai; Conservative Foreign Affairs Critic MP Eric Duncan; MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Chair of the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights; and MP Garnett Genuis.

The discussions focused on the continued detention of Armenian prisoners, the need to secure their release, the protection of their fundamental rights and the importance of international legal accountability. Sahakyan also addressed the broader legal and humanitarian implications of the cases, including the rights of prisoners and their families, and opportunities for continued Canadian engagement on the issue.

Sahakyan was accompanied throughout her Ottawa visit by representatives of the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), including ANCC President Shahen Mirakian, National Board member Hovig Tufenkjian and Communications Director Lorig Korajian.

The meetings formed part of the ANCC’s ongoing efforts to keep the plight of Armenian prisoners firmly on Canada’s political and diplomatic agenda, support international legal initiatives and encourage sustained Canadian engagement toward securing the release of Armenians held in Azerbaijan.