Around 1,000 Armenians missing since 1990s

Siranush Ghazanchyan, Armradio.am

Around 1,000 are missing since the beginning of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in early 1990s, of which 300 went missing between 2020 and 2023 after the start of the Second Artsakh War, Zara Amatuni, Communications Manager and Spokesperson at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Armenia, told journalists during the photo exhibition in Vanadzor dedicated to the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

The ICRC representative reaffirmed that employees of the organization periodically visit the persons whose captivity has been confirmed by the Azerbaijani authorities.

Azerbaijan has officially acknowledged that it is holding 23 Armenian captives. The captives include former Presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arayik Harutyunyan, as well as former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan and other officials.

Zara Amatuni noted that the organization, as a humanitarian and neutral mediator, does not play a role in the negotiations on search works, but always tries to keep the issue in the focus of the authorities and relevant bodies through dialogue.