The Armenian Ombudsman stressed the importance of international  pressure on Azerbaijan on the issue of the return of Armenian  prisoners

ArmInfo.Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan made a special report at the discussions on "The fate of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan" in the European Parliament.

According to the press service of the Armenian Ombudsman, Tatoyan  stressed the importance of international pressure on Azerbaijan,  which will allow avoiding further new crimes.

He said that on April 9, he appealed to the Committee of Ministers of  the Council of Europe on the issue of the immediate return of all  prisoners of the Armenian side illegally held in Azerbaijan.

At the same time, Tatoyan once again drew special attention to the  fact that all military personnel and civilians of the Armenian side  were taken prisoner by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the current,  ongoing armed conflict, therefore, all of them - in the status of  prisoners, should be immediately released and returned to their  homeland without any political or other preconditions.

"The Azerbaijani authorities artificially delay and politicize the  process, grossly violating the rights of prisoners and their  families, causing them suffering and causing tension in society. The  absolute urgency of the issue of the release of prisoners should also  be considered in the context of the propaganda of Armenophobia and  hostility carried out in Azerbaijan at the highest state level.

The Azerbaijani authorities use the issue of the Armenian prisoners  of war to develop their policy of hatred. These crimes are crimes of  an ethnic nature, which are sponsored by the Azerbaijani authorities,  " he stated.  Tatoyan believes that the EU should express its  position institutionally to eliminate these violations and prevent  further actions. During the discussion, the Ombudsman presented in  detail the international rules that require the immediate release of  prisoners and safe return.

As previously reported by ArmInfo, the discussions on "The fate of  Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan" were initiated by the head of the  EU-Armenia friendship group, member of the European Parliament Lukas  Furlas. The speakers were Lukas Furlas, Head of the Delegation for  relations with the South Caucasus in the European Parliament Marina  Kaljurand, RA Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan and Executive Director of the  European Office of "Ai Dat" Egine Evinyan.