Armenian delegation denied access to prisoners during visit to Baku

(Horizon Weekly) – Armenian civil society representatives visiting Baku last week were refused permission to meet Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, according to a report by OC Media, which has closely followed this issue.

The group travelled to Baku on 21 and 22 November as part of the Bridge for Peace initiative, the second round of dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani civic actors following an earlier meeting in Yerevan. At a press conference on 24 November, delegation member Naira Sultanyan said the team raised the issue of the prisoners “diplomatically,” hoping to build trust, but received no clear answers regarding the number of Armenians detained, their identities, or the possibility of a visit.

OC Media reports that at least 23 Armenians are believed to be held in Azerbaijan, including several former political and military leaders from Nagorno Karabakh who are serving long prison terms or facing life sentences.

During the visit, the Armenian group met with Azerbaijani officials, including presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev, who repeated Baku’s view that the conflict is “over” and expressed interest in moving toward peace. However, as OC Media notes, Azerbaijani dissidents argue that these meetings offer limited substance, given that independent civil society activity in the country remains tightly controlled by the authorities.

Ultimately, while the dialogue initiative went ahead, the Armenian delegation’s request to meet the detainees was rejected, leaving key questions about the prisoners’ status and welfare unanswered.