Yerevan /Mediamax/. U.S. Senator from Massachusetts Ed Markey called on the United States and the international community to use all possible tools, including the conduction of COP29 this year, to ensure the release of Armenian hostages and prisoners unlawfully arrested by the Aliyev regime.

Throughout the Senator’s speech, a photo of the unlawful arrest of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan was shown.

In his speech, Ed Markey, in particular, said:

“On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military attack against Nagorno-Karabakh to gain full control over the territory, causing a mass exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians, virtually all of the region’s ethnic Armenians, as well as the regional government, to capitulate. Azerbaijan then falsely denied that it forced people to leave, and insincerely promised that it would peacefully reintegrate the region and guarantee the rights of ethnic Armenians.

Instead, even after their surrender, Azerbaijan punitively arrested and detained leaders of the former Karabakh government, including former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, who is here, as he is being arrested, by Azerbaijan military officials. Also, ex-Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan; former Foreign Minister David Babayan; Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan; and former Generals Levon Mnatsakanyan and Davit Manukyan.

These eight former officials have been held in pre-trial detention for more than eight months. Just last month, Azerbaijani authorities extended the detention with another five months, without a trial, without due process, and Azerbaijan has routinely resorted to hostage diplomacy, prolonging unlawful detention and using prisoners of war as bargaining chips to impose its demands on Armenia, in clear violation of international law. In fact, Azerbaijan is still holding dozens of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian, political prisoners that it took captive during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.”

Ed Markey also noted that he sent a letter to Secretary Antony Blinken urging the State Department to prioritize the release of Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan and the right of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians to return to their homes in ongoing peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We must say “no” to Azerbaijan’s violations of international law and human rights and ensure those responsible are held accountable. This is the perfect time to be having this conversation. Azerbaijan is getting ready to host the climate summit of the world. We must ensure that we take this opportunity to put the spotlight on all of those political prisoners who are being held wrongly by the Azerbaijan government. It is strictly a violation of international human rights, and I call upon our government, and I call upon the world, to put a spotlight on these political prisoners so that they are released before the climate summit is held at the end of this year.”