Lithuanian culture figures call on Azerbaijan to release Armenian POWs

Public Radio of Armenia
March 4 2021


Famous Lithuanian film director and producer Kestutis Drazdauskas posted on his Facebook account a statement by eminent intellectuals of Lithuania, appealing to Azerbaijan to speed up the exchange of bodies, prisoners of war and hostages and their return to Armenia.

The announcement reads:

“We, the cultural figures of the Republic of Lithuania, joining the statement of February 8 by the members of the interparliamentary group with Armenia of the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas), call on the authorities of Azerbaijan not to obstruct the exchange of remains of victims of war, prisoners of war and hostages of the Third Nagorno-Karabakh war and immediately return them to Armenia. To the best of our knowledge, all the Azeri captives have already been returned.

We also appeal to the progressive international community to join this humanitarian initiative to support the overcoming of the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh after the last war.”

Budraitis Juozas – theater, film and television actor, photographer, diplomat
Calzonas Benhardas – composer
Drazdauskas Kęstutis – film director and producer
Eidrigevičius Stasys – Painter
Grigorian Asmik – opera singer
Ibelhauptaitė Dalia – theater and opera director, producer
Koršunovas Oskaras – director, playwright, scenographer
Landsbergis V. Vytautas – poet, publicist, theater and film director, children’s author
Mamontovas Andrius – musician, producer, actor
Matelis Arūnas – film director and producer
Mainelytė Vaiva – actress
Miškūnaitė Viktorija – opera singer
Jevdokimovas Arturas – film director
Šiaučiulis Saulius – pianist, composer
Stonys Audrius – film director
Storpirštis Gediminas – theater and film actor, theater teacher
Večerskis Adolfas – actor, director
Venclova Tomas – poet, publicist, interpreter, literary scholar, professor

Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.

Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2021/03/05/lithuanian-culture-figures-call-on-azerbaijan-to-release-armenian-pows/

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS