Armenia`s human rights defender, OSCE Sec Gen discuss release of  Armenian hostages held in Baku 

ArmInfo. The Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia Ms. Anahit Manasyan is in Strasbourg with a working visit. On March 27, within the framework of  the visit, the Defender met with the Secretary General of the Council  of Europe, Alain Berset.

The interlocutors discussed a number of issues related to the field  of human rights protection.

Ms. Anahit Manasyan spoke about human rights issues in Armenia, as  well as about the challenges faced by the Human Rights Defender's  Office.

In her speech, the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia  touched upon the problematic nature of the processes implemented  against ethnic Armenians arbitrarily detained in Azerbaijan from a  human rights perspective and the importance of their immediate  release.

At the end of the meeting, Ms. Anahit Manasyan emphasized the  importance of the stable and constructive cooperation between the  Human Rights Defender's Office and the Council of Europe,  highlighting the role of CoE projects in the development of various  human rights protection areas in Armenia.

The current and former military-political leadership of Artsakh was  taken hostage after the Azerbaijani aggression against the NKR on  September 19-20, 2023. For the second year in a row, in the context  of the inaction of the international community, dozens of Armenian  citizens are illegally held in Azerbaijan, subjected to cruel and  degrading treatment, torture.

On January 17, the Baku Military Court began considering the  "indictment" on fabricated criminal cases against 23 Armenian  prisoners. Among them are the former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh.  Among the accused are three former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh:  Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan. Also  appearing before the court are former Foreign Minister David Babayan,  Parliament Speaker David Ishkhanyan, former Commander of the Defense  Army General Levon Mnatsakanyan, General David Manukyan and former  State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.