Artak Beglaryan: There may be more prisoners in Azerbaijan than we  know today

ArmInfo.  There may be more prisoners in Azerbaijan than we know.  This was reported on his Facebook page by the head of the public organization Union "Artsakh",  former NKR Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan in connection with the  publication of the American pastor of the Evangelical Church Joel  Teny.

Earlier, Beglaryan published a list of Armenian prisoners held in  Baku in connection with the dissemination of an unconfirmed list on  various information platforms. As the former Artsakh Ombudsman wrote,  according to their data, there are 23 Armenian hostages in  Azerbaijan, 6 of whom are civilian prisoners, 9 are prisoners of war  and 8 are political prisoners. However, today Beglaryan reported that  the new list was distributed by the American pastor Joel Teny, and  included persons missing as a result of the explosion (at a gasoline  depot near the Stepanakert-Askeran highway - ed.).

"As it became known, relatives have information that our missing  compatriots may be in Azerbaijani captivity. They also presented this  evidence to the authorized state bodies of Armenia," Beglaryan noted.

At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that the approved  list of prisoners differs from the one he had previously published on  his page. "But this does not mean that in fact there cannot be more  prisoners in Azerbaijan, since there is already a lot of evidence  about the presence of about 80 Armenians as hostages, although  Azerbaijan does not confirm their capture," the head of the public  organization Union "Artsakh" emphasized.

A few days ago, Joel Teni, having published a list of Armenian  prisoners, called on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a  meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington to be firm and  unwavering, and clearly state the demands of the Armenian side. In  particular, he called for the immediate release of the Armenian  political and civilian hostages who are still in Baku, as well as the  disclosure of the status and whereabouts of the missing Armenians.

The exact number of Armenians held in Azerbaijani captivity is still  unknown. According to confirmed information, 23 Armenians are  currently being held in Azerbaijani prisons, including 16 people  captured after Azerbaijan's military attack on Artsakh on September  19, 2023. Among the captives are eight former Artsakh officials:  former presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik  Harutyunyan, parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan, former state  minister Ruben Vardanyan, former commander of the Defense Army Levon  Mnatsakanyan, former deputy commander David Manukyan and former  Foreign Minister David Babayan.