EAFJD: EU executive can no longer ignore the plight of Armenian hostages in Baku

ArmInfo. The EU executive can  no longer ignore the plight of Armenian hostages in Baku. This was  stated by Kaspar Karampetian, Chairman of the European Office of Hay  Dat, ARF Dashnaktsutyun (EAFJD).

The statement received by the Organization notes that in its plenary  session on March 13, the European Parliament adopted the resolution  on "The Case of Unlawful Detention and sham trials of Armenian  hostages, including high-ranking political representatives from  Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijan" with 523 votes in favor, 3 against  and 84 abstentions. It is also mentioned that the adoption of the  resolution was preceded by a parliamentary debates on the same  subject on March 12.

EAFJD draws attention to the fact that the resolution acknowledges  the detention of 23 Armenian prisoners of  and mentions their capture  the  ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabagh.  "According to the  European Parliament, this situation requires international  monitoring, which should be carried out by the European Union.   Condemning the illegal detention of 23 Armenian hostages and the  inhuman and degrading treatment to which they were subjected, the  Parliament demands their immediate release, citing a number of  evidences of ill-treatment, torture and illegal activities.  EAFJD  noted that the adopted resolution also refers to the mistreatment and  deteriorating health of Ruben Vardanyan, who has been undergoing  hunger strike for more than 20 days, and calls on the EU executive to  demand the presence of EU and Member State representatives during the  trials, and the ability to regularly visit the hostages, including by  the EU Special Representative for Human Rights. The resolution also  calls for the suspension of the Memorandum of Understanding in the  field  of Energy between the EU and Azerbaijan, signed in 2022. In  view of the above, the European Hay Dat Office welcomes this  development and reiterates its call on the EU executive to remain  committed to the position o the European Parliament in this regard. 

According to the President of the office Kaspar Karampetian: "The EU  executive can no longer ignore the plight of the Armenian hostages.   The European Parliament  adopted a resolution which strongly condemns  the sham trials,  fully understanding the unlawful nature of the  proceedings, which are being used to not only  intimidate the 16  Armenian hostages, but also  Armenia and the Armenian people. .   Targeted sanctions and establishing observation missions by the EU  are the first steps towards claiming justice for the series of  Armenophobic policies that Azerbaijan continues to enact to this  day," Kaspar Karampetian concluded.