Without immediate release of all Armenian prisoners from Baku, talk  of peace between Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan is a mockery - ARF 

ArmInfo. Without the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners held in Baku, talk of peace between Armenia, Artsakh, and Azerbaijan is a mockery,  regardless of who initiates it. This is stated in a statement  received by ArmInfo from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun in response to the  verdicts announced against the military-political leadership of  Artsakh following their trial in Baku.

"As a result of a judicial farce that lasted over a year, the Baku  Military Court published 'verdicts' on fabricated charges against  former military and political leaders of Artsakh and other Armenian  prisoners.  These verdicts, predetermined by a closed and fictitious  'trial,' confirm that, despite talk of peace and formal steps,  Azerbaijan continues its anti-Armenian policy and behavior with the  complicity of the current Armenian authorities," the ARF asserts.

The party noted that the goal of the trials in Baku is obvious: to  discredit Artsakh and Armenia, the struggle for self-determination of  the Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and their leaders.  They also noted that on the eve of the announcement of the 'verdicts'  against the Armenians, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and  Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the Human Fraternity  Award in Abu Dhabi.

"This is what the 'peace process' is and what it really is. The  captured Armenians, convicted by the Baku military court, are  effectively hostages in the hands of Azerbaijan. Without the  immediate and unconditional release of the prisoners, talk of  establishing peace between Armenia, Artsakh, and Azerbaijan is a  mockery, regardless of who is behind it. We will continue our  struggle for the release of all Armenian prisoners held in  Azerbaijan," the party stated.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun also called on forces advocating for genuine  peace in the region and all international organizations working for  human rights, democracy, and justice to seek the release of Armenian  prisoners. "We can speak of genuine peace between Artsakh, Armenia,  and Azerbaijan only if all individual and collective rights of the  Artsakh people are ensured, including the return of Armenian  prisoners of war to their homeland. This requires a truly strong  homeland in all respects and national unity around national goals.  The ARF is determined to continue its organized and targeted struggle  to achieve this goal," the political party concluded.

The exact number of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in  Azerbaijani prisons is still unknown.  Experts estimate the number to  be several hundred. Azerbaijani authorities currently confirm the  presence of 19 Armenians in their custody. Among those held in  Azerbaijani captivity are eight former and current members of the  military-political leadership of Artsakh. These include former  Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik  Harutyunyan; former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan; as well as  Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan; former Commander-in-Chief of the  Artsakh Defense Army, General Levon Mnatsakanyan; General David  Manukyan; and former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

On February 5, the Baku puppet court sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan,  Davit Babayan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Manukyan, and Levon  Mnatsakanyan to life imprisonment on trumped-up charges, while Bako  Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison.  The so-called court sentenced the remaining Artsakh residents to up  to 15 years in prison. The verdict has not yet been announced for  philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, whose case has been separated into  separate proceedings.