Armenian Captives ‘Must be Released Immediately,’ Says UN Human Rights Leader

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for the immediate release of Armenians being held captive by Azerbaijan.

“They must be released immediately, and their rights to a fair trial must be fully respected,” Türk said.

The High Commissioner’s remarks were contained in his report, which he presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

He also said he was closely following the ongoing peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, expressing hope that they would “lead to the discovery of truth, healing, and reconciliation,” to which the commissioner is ready to lend his support.

It was the Human Rights Council that Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan addressed, what he called, “mock” trials of Artsakh leaders who have been held captive in Baku since September 2023, when Azerbaijan launched an attack on Artsakh that forced the displacement of its Armenian population.

“As we speak, mock trials against 23 Armenian individuals, who are arbitrarily detained, are taking place in Azerbaijan with disregard for human rights standards for due process,” Mirzoyan told the Human Rights Council in his presentation on February 24.

In what can be deemed as the most succinct reaction to the sham trials by Yerevan, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday condemning the legal farce, saying that Baku is using the staged judicial proceedings to apply political pressure on Yerevan.

“Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees are being unlawfully held in Azerbaijan in blatant disregard of its commitments and international obligations. Their detention and persecution constitute a gross violation of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights,” the foreign ministry added.

“It is evident that the Azerbaijani authorities are using this judicial spectacle as a tool for political pressure on the Republic of Armenia and for manipulation within society, given the sensitivity of the issue for every family member and the entire society,” official Yerevan emphasized. “It is especially worth noting that these processes are taking place amid the continued propaganda of ethnic hatred against Armenians in Azerbaijani media.”