French Bouches-du-Rhone department head  urges Paris to end silence  on Armenian prisoners of war 

ArmInfo. Martin Vassal, Chairperson of the Bouches-du- Rhone department, has called on the French authorities not to remain silent on the issue of the release  of Armenian detainees held  in Baku, as reported by the press service  of the Artsakh Union, which distributed an article written by Vassal   on the occasion of Christmas celebrations in Armenia. 

In hҐr letter, she highlights the fact that for many Armenian  families in Armenia and Artsakh, the joy of reunification this year  is not complete. She recalled that for over two years, Armenian  prisoners of war have been held in Azerbaijani prisons by the  authoritarian administration of Azerbaijan. She also noted that in a  few weeks, the French National Assembly will consider a proposal for  a cross-party resolution calling for the release of Armenian  prisoners of war. "Although our country is currently experiencing a  period of uncertainty, and its cities are facing growing challenges,  it still cannot ignore its moral responsibilities. This issue is  neither remote nor secondary. It is linked to the values that define  us: justice, human dignity, and the rule of law," the chairperson of  the French departmental council noted.

She recalled that the trials of Armenian prisoners of war are taking  place in opaque conditions without any real guarantees of a fair  trial. "These people are not criminals. They are being tried for  embodying political will, for serving a people who were first  expelled from their land and then deprived of their right to vote.   Any honest observer knows that Azerbaijan has many political  prisoners, freedom of speech is suppressed, and justice is a  political tool," she emphasized. 

Vassal noted that this situation has been documented in numerous  international reports, including those of the UN and European  organizations. Therefore, she stated that the Armenian captives are  doubly held hostage. "They are hostages in the hands of an  administration that is exploiting their fate in negotiations with  Armenia. They are also hostages because of the stance of certain  European partners, who are willing to condemn crimes of aggression  elsewhere but remain silent when it comes to their energy partner,"  the departmental council president lamented. Given all of the above,  she called on local French authorities to speak out. "France is  committed to defending the universality of human rights. The two  institutions I chair have already condemned this situation and  initiated the adoption of relevant decisions. However, today we must  go even further, because the (Artsakh - ed.) families who were  forcibly displaced now live alongside us. The values we proclaim -  solidarity, humanism, non-hatred - are only meaningful if they also  apply to the Armenians held in Baku," Vassal emphasized. 

She also announced her intention to make two clear commitments: to  continue the fight for the release of Armenian prisoners of war by  appealing to the French authorities and supporting the France-Artsakh  Friendship Circle, and to invite the Bouches-du-Rhone Departmental  Council to join the call for their release with a public statement.  "Every prisoner has a family waiting for them. I met them during my  last visit to Armenia. They are desperate and hoping for us. Behind  every prisoner are also people who feel abandoned and ask us: how far  are we willing to go to remain true to the values we ourselves have  proclaimed? We cannot celebrate freedom here and remain silent about  it there. Armenian prisoners of war are a symbol of the fragility of  the law. It's up to us to decide which side of history we want to  stand on," Vassal concluded.