Any peace between Armenia, Azerbaijan futile as long as there are  prisoners - MP

ArmInfo. It is obvious that any peace is futile as long as there are prisoners, since real stability cannot be based on the suffering of hostages. This was  stated by Armen Gevorgyan, member of the Armenian parliamentary  delegation to PACE, deputy of the Armenia faction, speaking at a  meeting of the PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and  Sustainable Development.

In this vein, in his speech he drew attention to the fact that  recently there have been alarming reports of severe mental health  conditions and even suicide attempts among Armenian prisoners held in  Baku, against the backdrop of the cessation of visits by the  International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). "The captives have  been in complete isolation for almost two months now, and no  independent international organization has visited them. There is no  information about their conditions, health, or psychological state.

ICRC representatives last visited the Armenian captives in June. This  international organization finally ceased its activities in Baku at  the request of the Azerbaijani authorities. Despite the Washington  Declaration of August 8, 2025, no progress has been made in releasing  the captives," Gevorgyan complained.

As an example, he cited Hamas, which holds hostages in order to have  leverage in the negotiations.  According to him, in the same way,  Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev uses Armenian captives, including  former leaders of Artsakh, as "political trump cards" in the  negotiation process.

In this regard, he called on the members of the organization to  demand immediate and unimpeded access of the ICRC, consular or  humanitarian organizations of a neutral third party to the Armenian  prisoners in Baku, the release of all prisoners, to take steps to  impose targeted sanctions against the Azerbaijani officials involved  in these abuses, and to facilitate an international investigation.  "They are not prisoners, but living instruments of political  manipulation. It is obvious that any peace is futile as long as there  are prisoners, because real stability cannot be based on their  suffering," the member of the delegation of the Armenian parliament  to PACE summarized.

23 Armenians are currently being held in Azerbaijani prisons,  including 16 people captured after the military attack of Azerbaijan  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.