Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited Armenians detained in Azerbaijan. They contacted their relatives through the Red Cross.
Zara Amatuni (Head of Communication Programs of the ICRC Delegation in Armenia) - In the form of phone calls, videotaped messages and letters. As usual, the letters or messages are then passed on to the families through the staff of our Yerevan delegation in Armenia. During this time, we have tried to keep the frequency of our visits. This will continue as long as the persons are in prison.
Azerbaijan officially confirms the capture of 38 people. All of them were seen by the humanitarian organization. The Red Cross does not release information on the conditions of detention, treatment of them, or their health, stating that they are in the scope of a closed dialogue. According to Amatuni, the purpose of the recurrent visits is to look back at the condition of those people.
Siranush Sahakyan (Representative of Captives in the ECHR) - There are completed trials and judicial acts for 37 of them, no act has been made for one of them. The main part refers to the Khtsaberd incident. The ECHR is considering the case, we are waiting for new developments. At the same time, we are still receiving applications related to the missing, new bodies are not found as a result of search operations, no relics are found, at the same time, there is no DNA match, the fate of their children remains unknown. The one who have information are exclusively the Azerbaijani authorities, so we continue to file lawsuits with the European Court.
Summing up the meetings in Brussels, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that the whereabouts of 985 people are unknown after the two Artsakh wars, 208 for 44 days, 777 for the first war. The work aimed at finding out their fate continues. The Red Cross Committee supports the process as a humanitarian mediator. During this time, it took part in 350 operations. They also work with the families of people missing after the war to assess their needs.
Zara Amatuni - They have been looking for relatives since both the 90s and 2020. It is a big questionnaire, as a result of which we plan to prepare an analysis. There will be a package of proposals, which will be discussed with the relevant bodies.
The advocacy group has solid evidence of the possible captivity of another 80 people. Their bodies were not found 1.5 years after the war.
Siranush Sahakyan - There were no DNA matches, so they are grounded cases of captivity. There are some concerns that have forcibly disappeared. When destinies are unknown, the number is unchanged, there is no new information.
At an early stage of the case, neither the ECHR nor the Hague Tribunal took immediate action to release the captives.
The Armenian side expects that in the final court acts the ECHR will register the violation of the right to liberty of the young men detained there, will assess the convictions as illegal, and will demand the immediate repatriation of all Armenians detained in Baku.
