ArmInfo. Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced bipartisan  legislation that seeks to enforce sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for war crimes and human rights abuses, including the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, the arbitrary detention of  Armenian POWs and civilian captives, the torture and abuse of  detainees, and extrajudicial killings, reported the Armenian National  Committee of America (ANCA).

ArmInfo. This year, on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, banners could be seen at the top of Tsitsernakaberd, reading, "Free Armenian Prisoners Now," "There can be no peace agreement without the release of Armenian prisoners," "No COP29 in Azerbaijan without freeing all Armenian prisoners," "Global Silence, Global Shame: Stop Genocide," alongside the photos of more than two dozen Armenian prisoners illegally held in Baku prison.  These banners were carried by the participants of the mass march organized by the friends of Ruben Vardanyan, who is illegally detained in Baku prison, not only paying tribute to the memory of millions of innocent martyrs on the anniversary of the Genocide, but also expressing their support for the Armenian prisoners and Ruben Vardanyan, who declared a hunger strike on April 5 in order to demand the immediate release of all Armenian prisoners.  "Today, we commemorate the martyrs of the Genocide and, through this action, we simultaneously strive to draw the world's attention to the fact that we have prisoners held illegally in Baku prisons, one of whom, Ruben Vardanyan, has been on hunger strike for about 20 days.  International human rights organizations should respond and implement pressure mechanisms, because the issue of Armenian prisoners illegally arrested and held as hostages in an authoritarian country is also the issue of the civilized world. We know that Ruben Vardanyan's family and friends are concerned about his condition and demand that the International Committee of the Red Cross visit him immediately. Through this march, we also demand the same and join Ruben Vardanyan's demand to immediately release all Armenian prisoners," said Ruben Hayrapetyan, the organizer of the action.  One of the banners borne by the participants of the march was the message conveyed by Ruben Vardanyan from Baku prison to his family: "Values and principles are more important than even life itself.

ArmInfo. In April, the  International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)  representatives  again visited all the Armenian detainees notified by the Azerbaijani authorities.  This is stated in the message of the Baku representative office of the ICRC.

ArmInfo. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Bill  Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Gary Peters (D-MI) called on the Biden Administration to prioritize the release of Armenian prisoners of war and Artsakh's political leadership illegally detained by Azerbaijan as a precondition for negotiations, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).  

ArmInfo.Yerevan is working to return Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan stated on March 12 at a press conference, referring to the efforts of the RA authorities to return prisoners illegally held by Baku, as well as the statement of Russian leader Vladimir Putin that  "they don't really want to see the former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh in Yerevan."

ArmInfo. Representatives of the youth and student organization of the Republican Party of Armenia  (RPA) held a protest rally near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on February 20.

ArmInfo. For three months now, Ruben Vardanyan and former high-ranking military and political figures of Artsakh have been illegally held in Baku prisons.  Mesrop Arakelyan, co-founder of the Country for Life party, wrote about this on his Facebook page.

ArmInfo. Russian MP Konstantin Zatulin has addressed a message to his Armenian friends on the New Year's Eve.

ArmInfo.Armenia's authorities are not doing anything to have Ruben Vardanyan and the other former  leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh released, Levon Zurabyan, Vice- Chairman of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) stated at a press conference on December 2. 

ArmInfo. The information regarding the 16 persons captured by Azerbaijan as a result of the military aggression on September 19-20, including the military-political leaders of Artsakh, military personnel and  civilians, was transferred to their families. Hasmik Samvelyan, the spokesperson of the office of Armenia's representative for international legal matters informed.

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan is also responsible for ensuring that its armed forces comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, which governs the conduct of combat operations, the protection of civilians and the humane treatment of participants in combat operations. The Voice of America reports, citing a statement from the US State Department.

ArmInfo.If we are not talking about Russian citizens, but in this case we are talking about  residents living in the territory associated with Nagorno-Karabakh, then this question is better addressed to the Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities. Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova announced on October 10 during a weekly briefing to clarify what fate awaits the citizens of Artsakh captured  by Azerbaijan.

ArmInfo. The Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) of Azerbaijan has  international status B, which implies inadequate compliance with the Paris Principles and lack of independence. President of the International and Comparative Law Center Siranush Sahakyan, who represents Armenian prisoners' interests at the European Court of Human Rights stated during a press conference.

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan continues to create the illusion of an excellent relationship with captured  Artsakh officials. This time, the Azeri media began to publish the photo of former  Artsakh Foreign Minister Davit Babayan in Azeri captivity.

ArmInfo.Yerevan isn't exactly eager to see the former leaders of Nagorno- Karabakh. Russian  President Vladimir Putin stated during a plenary session of the Valdai International Discussion Club, answering the question whether Russia can call on Baku to show mercy to the former leaders of Nagorno- Karabakh, including former Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan, who is very well known in the Russian Federation.

ArmInfo.The State Security Service and the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan today  issued a joint statement stating that the former President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has been charged under more than nine articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

ArmInfo. The President of Nagorno-Karabakh Samvel Shahramanyan is already on the territory of  Armenia; he has not been detained by Azerbaijani security forces, a source told TASS.

ArmInfo.Artsakh president was neither captured nor taken to Baku. He is still in Artsakh. This  was reported by www.aravot.am, which managed to contact the President of Artsakh.

ArmInfo."We strongly condemn the arrests by Azerbaijan of the leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh Arkadi  Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Ruben Vardanyan and others." This is stated in a statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

ArmInfo.Artsakh is now facing the most serious political, economic and humanitarian  challenges, Armenian MP Gegham Manukyan stated in Parliament on September 11.