Lawyer: Armenian captive executed, at least 80 cases of enforced disappearance reported

Panorama

Armenia has received the body of an Armenian captive executed in Azerbaijani custody, human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan said at a discussion on the rights of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in Baku on Wednesday.

Sahakyan, who heads the International Comparative Law Center, stressed that Azerbaijan officially acknowledges holding 23 Armenians though the actual number is believed to be much higher.

“There have been developments that clearly point to war crimes, including the killing of captives. In one case, the body of an executed prisoner was handed over to the Armenian side,” she said.

According to Sahakyan, numerous Armenian captives have forcibly disappeared after their detention. “Following their capture, there were developments after which we lost all trace of them. Azerbaijan denies any connection and refuses to provide information,” she explained.

Human rights groups have verified at least 80 cases of enforced disappearance, but the actual number may be much higher.

Of the 23 officially confirmed prisoners, eight are former Artsakh political and military leaders, while five were taken during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Others were captured in 2023.

“Azerbaijan is illegally holding captives from both the 2020 war and those detained in 2023,” Sahakyan stated.

She also revealed that the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) had visited Azerbaijan and may have met with some of the Armenian prisoners, promising to provide further details later.