House Foreign Affairs Committee calls for Azerbaijan`s immediate  release of Armenian hostages

ArmInfo.  The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 44 to 7 on Wednesday, July 22, to call on Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian hostages, adopting an amendment to H.R. 9087, the House Foreign Service Act. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)-  backed amendment, led by Congressional Armenian Caucus Vice Chair  Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) with the support of Committee Chairman Brian  Mast (R-FL), builds on its favorable consideration by the Committee  on June 10.

"Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 44-7 in favor of my  amendment calling on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian  POWs," Rep. Sherman told ANCA following the vote. "I am proud to have  put Congress on the record and will continue fighting to free  Armenians unjustly and illegally held, tortured, and abused by  Azerbaijan."

"We thank Congressman Sherman, Chairman Mast, and all those who voted  to adopt this much-needed and long-overdue measure," said ANCA  Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "The Committee did the right  thing. Azerbaijan's release of Armenian hostages, the safe return of  Artsakh refugees, and the withdrawal of Azerbaijani occupation forces  from Armenian territory - these are preconditions for peace, non-  negotiable requirements of any durable settlement - not bargaining  chips for Baku to force yet more unilateral Armenian concessions."

Joining Rep. Sherman and Chairman Mast in support of the amendment  were Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jim Baird (R-IN), Andy Barr  (R-KY), Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Ami Bera  (D-CA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Jim Costa (D-CA), Warren Davidson  (R-OH), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Bill Huizenga  (R-MI), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Ronny Jackson  (R-TX), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Julie Johnson  (D-TX), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ), William  Keating (D-MA), Young Kim (R-CA), George Latimer (D-NY), Mike Lawler  (R-NY), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Gregory Meeks (D-NY),  Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Carol Miller (R-WV), Cory Mills (R-FL), Jared  Moskowitz (D-FL), James Moylan (R-GU), Johnny Olszewski (D-MD), Mark  Pocan (D-WI), Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-AS), Maria Elvira Salazar  (R-FL), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Greg Stanton  (D-AZ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and Ryan  Zinke (R-MT).

Voting against the measure were Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ),  Tim Burchett (R- TN), Randy Fine (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL),  Scott Perry (R-PA), Keith Self (R- TX), and Joe Wilson (R-SC).

The amendment declares it is the sense of Congress that Azerbaijan  should immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners  of war and political prisoners. It cleared committee markup on June  10 with Chairman Mast's support after Sherman agreed to modify the  text by unanimous consent, striking a paragraph directing enforcement  of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. "I would love to work with  you further on this amendment and possibly dividing it up and working  on this in additional ways," Mast told Sherman during the markup.  Sherman agreed, and Mast offered his backing. "Representative  Sherman, I offer my support for this amendment," Mast said.  "Thank  you for working with me so immediately to adjust the text of the  amendment."

Sherman had urged the committee to act on the strength of documented  abuses in Azerbaijani captivity. "Given documented executions of  Armenian POWs by Azerbaijani forces, including several executions  which were horrifically recorded and distributed on social media, as  documented by Human Rights Watch, it is vital that the United States  clearly advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of all  Armenian POWs," Sherman told the committee in June.

Sherman also tied the release of hostages to the administration's  regional diplomacy. "As President Trump continues his efforts to  secure lasting peace in the South Caucasus, securing the release of  Armenian POWs and political prisoners would be a significant step  toward this achievement," he said.

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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.