US House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to vote on ANCA-backed  amendment

ArmInfo The US House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to vote on an ANCA-backed amendment - authored by Congressman Brad Sherman - calling for America to apply diplomatic, economic, legal pressure - including full enforcement of Section 907 - to force Azerbaijan's release of Armenian hostages 

TEXT OF AMENDMENT: SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ARMENIAN PRISONERS OF WAR AND POLITICAL PRISONERS.  

It is the sense of Congress that - 

(1) Azerbaijan should immediately and unconditionally release all   Armenian prisoners of war and political prisoners; and 

(2) the United States should employ all appropriate diplomatic,  economic, and legal tools, including the full enforcement of section  907 of the FREEDOM Support Act and consideration of Global Magnitsky  sanctions, to secure the immediate and unconditional release of all  Armenian prisoners of war and political prisoners held by Azerbaijan.

The exact number of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in  Azerbaijani prisons remains unknown. Experts estimate the number to  be several hundred. Currently, Azerbaijani authorities confirm the  presence of 19 Armenians in their custody. Among those held in  Azerbaijani captivity are eight former and current members of the  military-political leadership of Artsakh. These include former  Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik  Harutyunyan; former Foreign Minister David Babayan; as well as  Parliament Speaker David Ishkhanyan; former Commander of the Artsakh  Defense Army General Levon Mnatsakanyan; General David Manukyan; and  former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

In February, a Baku puppet court sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan, David  Babayan, David Ishkhanyan, David Manukyan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan to  life imprisonment, and Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, and Ruben  Vardanyan to 20 years in prison on trumped-up charges. The so-called  court sentenced the remaining Artsakh residents to up to 15 years in  prison.