Handover of four Armenian prisoners inspires hope - human rights  activist 

ArmInfo.  The transfer of Syrian mercenaries and the return of Armenian prisoners occurred simultaneously, and this is open to different interpretations. In any case, this is an extremely important process, and we welcome the  return of every Armenian-there can be no other opinion. Siranush  Sahakyan, head of the Center for International and Comparative Law  and representative of Armenian prisoners at the European Court of  Human Rights (ECHR), stated this during a press conference on January  17.

Recalling that the last time prisoners were returned to the Armenian  side was in December 2023, she noted that the process has, so to  speak, been frozen since then. The human rights activist also noted  that after the preliminary signing of the peace treaty between  Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was expected that a larger number of  prisoners would be returned to the Armenian side. Nevertheless, the  return of four of our citizens, according to Sahakyan, inspires hope  that the process can continue.

According to the human rights activist, cooperation between the Civil  Society Institute and the country's authorities is essential to  increasing the effectiveness of the prisoner return process. "I  believe that the return of prisoners, even if it occurs outside the  legal framework, is only possible with the involvement of government  officials. Without them, the issue reaches a dead end. The state must  achieve results through negotiations, and the Civil Society Institute  must draw the attention of the international community to the  situation so that additional pressure can be exerted on Azerbaijan.  Cooperation is the best model by which we can ensure the return of  our prisoners," she emphasized.

Responding to a question regarding the ECHR cases regarding  violations of the rights of Armenian prisoners and whether they would  continue, Sahakyan expressed the opinion that it would be right and  fair to continue these processes. However, in her opinion, everything  here depends on the position of the Armenian authorities - whether  they will be consistent in this matter or not.

As a reminder, on January 14, 2026, Azerbaijan released four  illegally held Armenian prisoners in exchange for two Syrian  mercenaries fighting on the Azerbaijani side during the 2020 war  unleashed by the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem against Armenia and  Nagorno-Karabakh.

Vagif Khachatryan had been in detention since 2023, after being  abducted by Azerbaijani forces during a medical evacuation from  Nagorno-Karabakh as part of an ICRC mission. Vigen Euljekjian, a  Lebanese citizen, had been held by Azerbaijan since 2020, having been  captured after the 2020 ceasefire while transiting the Lachin  corridor. Gevorg Sujian and Davit Davtyan were captured by  Azerbaijani forces the day after the signing of the ceasefire  agreement ending the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. Both were civilians  and founders of a charitable NGO.

In exchange, Armenia released two Syrian mercenaries, Mukhrab  Muhammad al-Shkheri and Yousef Alabed al-Hajin, who had been captured  by Armenian forces in November 2020. Both confessed to serving as  mercenaries during their trial and were sentenced to life  imprisonment by an Armenian court in 2021 for crimes committed  against Artsakh civilians. At the time, the mercenaries testified  that they were ordered to spare no life and were given clear  instructions and material rewards for the beheading of Armenian  prisoners.

At least nineteen Armenian prisoners of war remain in illegal  detention in Azerbaijan, where they continue to be subjected to  torture and abuse. They include eight former Nagorno-Karabakh  officials: former State Minister (2022-2023) Ruben Vardanyan; former  President (2020-2023) Arayik Harutyunyan; former President  (2007-2020) Bako Sahakyan; former President (1997-2007) Arkady  Ghukasyan; Speaker of the National Assembly Davit Ishkhanyan; former  Foreign Minister Davit Babayan; former Defense Minister Levon  Mnatsakanyan; and former Deputy Defense Minister Davit Manukyan.