May 3, 2026
Despite threats and security problems, many family members of Armenian prisoners of war kept in Baku prisons are ready to go to Baku and visit their relatives, but in the context of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, this cannot be organized without dialogue and guarantees at the state level. At the “Voices of Armenia” conference organized by the Union of Journalists of Armenia, Siranush Sahakyan, the representative of the interests of Armenian prisoners at the ECHR, said about the freedom of speech and fundamental human rights.
He noted that it refers, in particular, to the processes of obtaining visas and safe border crossing.
“If there is no state support, family members cannot find themselves in Baku by their own means,” said Sahakyan.
He stressed that the issue has been raised publicly, but there is still no positive answer. As a comparison, he pointed out the mutual visits of the representatives of the political societies of Armenia and Azerbaijan, when the dialogue at the state level made it possible.
“We think this model should be implemented to ensure the realization of the rights of families. There is no response, but the work in this direction continues. It is very important for us to see the reaction of the RA authorities,” said Sahakyan.
Access to independent lawyers is also limited, no foreign lawyer has had the opportunity to discuss his case with the hostages held in Baku by any means of communication, and they have also been deprived of the opportunity to have a visit.
“The Republic of Armenia has left its citizens alone in a closed facility of a foreign state, moreover, in a state where Armenian hatred and state policy of discrimination have been formed, by not implementing the right of consular visit. This is not an institution that implies negotiation, agreement, but a guaranteed right for RA to visit its citizens and provide consular support within that framework,” said Sahakyan.
For example, if during a consular visit it is found that a foreign state, in this case Azerbaijan, violates the right of citizens to have a lawyer or there are injuries and the possibility of an independent medical examination is not ensured, in this case there is an opportunity to raise the issue through diplomatic channels and reach its solution. Sahakyan noted that until today the Republic of Armenia refuses to visit the hostages held in Baku in the conditions of such a reality, when they are deprived of independent control mechanisms.
According to Sahakyan, the Republic of Armenia can use the right to visit the Armenian hostages in Baku also through mediation. in the absence of diplomatic relations, this can be done through the diplomatic structure of a neutral country accredited in Baku. For example, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries can be considered as such. According to Siranush Sahakyan, they officially appealed to these countries and received a positive response that they are ready to undertake these visits, provided that RA takes advantage of its sovereign right.
Summarizing the speech, Siranush Sahakyan noted that in 2026 In relation to the February Azerbaijani trials, the Republic of Armenia will not carry out such processes that would make it possible to delegitimize the legal and political consequences of these trials. Instead, the positive news is that families are ready to bear this burden and responsibility.
—