Armenian National Committee of Lebanon calls on OSCE MG co-chair  states to pressure Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners 

The Lebanese office of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF) “Hay Dat” sent letters to ambassadors of a number of countries calling for pressure on Azerbaijan to stop the false trials and ensure the release of Armenian prisoners of war.

As noted by the press service of the ARF, the letters were addressed  to the ambassadors of the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia,  France, Great Britain, the European Union, Switzerland, Greece,  Cyprus and India. In the letter, “Hay Dat” draws attention to the  fact that the trials of Armenians in Baku are a clear warning to the  residents of Artsakh who would like to exercise their internationally  enshrined right to return.

In this vein, the ARF recalled that Armenian hostages in Baku are  subjected to inhuman treatment, including torture with the use of  prohibited psychotropic substances. In addition, as stated in the  letter, their rights are violated: they do not have access to  independent lawyers and interpreters, the possibility of appealing  decisions, visiting family members and suspending punishment for  health reasons. “All this constitutes serious and systematic  violations of Azerbaijan’s international obligations with respect to  prisoners of war,” the letter emphasizes.

“Hay Dat” also called for the resumption of the work of the OSCE  Minsk Group co-chairs for a peaceful, fair and legal settlement of  the Artsakh issue, as well as the provision of international  guarantees. The letter emphasizes that this will ensure the safe  return of the forcibly displaced Artsakh people to their historical  homeland, which is currently being subjected to ethnic cleansing.  “Hay Dat” also expressed the conviction that under these conditions,  the signing of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan  contradicts international values and principles. 

“The ARF Dashnaktsutyun Hay Dat Office of Lebanon declares its  unwavering support for a just and lasting peace between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, but not for the current, unilaterally dictated “peace  treaty” that awaits signature by both countries. This is contrary to  international values and principles, including the fundamental  principle that any international agreement reached through the threat  or use of force is null and void. In particular, it would not be in  line with the “law of the UN Vienna Convention on Treaties” of 1969  and the “Helsinki Final Act” of 1975,” the letter concluded.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan, under the pretext of an  “anti-terrorist operation”, committed another act of aggression  against Artsakh. This was preceded by a nearly 10-month blockade of  the unrecognized republic. Since the enemy aggression that began in  the fall of 2020, which in September 2023 ended with the complete  ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, over 150 thousand Artsakh residents have  lost their homeland and become refugees. We add that 23 Armenians are  currently being held in Azerbaijani prisons, including 16 people  captured after Azerbaijan’s military attack on Artsakh on September  19, 2023. Among the captives are eight former Artsakh officials:  former presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik  Harutyunyan, parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan, former state  minister Ruben Vardanyan, former commander of the Defense Army Levon  Mnatsakanyan, former deputy commander David Manukyan and former  foreign minister David Babayan.