The urgent repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and other captives of Azerbaijani authorities reportedly treated in violation of international law

Written declaration No. 721 | Doc. 15280 | 01 July 2021

Signatories:

Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, EC/DA ; Mr Sos AVETISYAN, Armenia, SOC ; Mr Jason AZZOPARDI, Malta, EPP/CD ; Ms Theodora BAKOYANNIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Alexander CHRISTIANSSON, Sweden, EC/DA ; Ms Kamila GASIUK-PIHOWICZ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Marcin GWÓŹDŹ, Poland, EC/DA ; Ms Tatevik HAYRAPETYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Hovhannes IGITYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Mr Dimitrios KAIRIDIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Arin KARAPET, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Eduard KÖCK, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Tomasz LATOS, Poland, EC/DA ; Mr Edmon MARUKYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Mr Mikayel MELKUMYAN, Armenia, EC/DA ; Mr Arkadiusz MULARCZYK, Poland, EC/DA ; Mr Ulrich OEHME, Germany, EC/DA ; Mr Jacek PROTASIEWICZ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Lars Aslan RASMUSSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Ruben RUBINYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Kim VALENTIN, Denmark, ALDE ; Mr Vladimir VARDANYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Ms Naira ZOHRABYAN, Armenia, EC/DA

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

We welcome that the tragic military conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory is now over, following a cease-fire agreement concluded on 10 November 2020.

We are greatly concerned, however, that almost half a year after the end of the hostilities, up to a hundred Armenian prisoners of war and other Armenian captives are still reported to be held in custody in Azerbaijan, and according to reliable reports subjected to violence and even torture, which would be in breach of international treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights and the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

We call on both sides, in their capacity as long-standing members of the Council of the Europe, jointly to ensure the speedy return of all prisoners of war and other captives, in good and reconciliatory spirit and in due deference to the OSCE Minsk Group in its search for lasting peace between the parties.