European Parliament to host discussion on Armenian captivesApril 12, 2021 - 18:25 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A special discussion of the European Parliament on the issue of the immediate release and return of Armenian captives from Azerbaijan will be held on Monday, April 12 evening, Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has said in a Facebook post. Among speakers set to deliver remarks are MEP Loukas Fourlas, who chairs the EU-Armenia friendship group at the European Parliament, as well as Chair of the delegation for relations with the South Caucasus at the European Parliament Marina Kaljurand, Tatoyan himself and Heghine Evinyan, the Executive Director, EAFJD - European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy. Several dozen Armenian POWs have returned from Azerbaijan so far, although Armenian officials say many more people were being held in Baku. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claims, however, that persons being kept in Baku are not prisoners of war but “terrorists and saboteurs”. Officials and human rights advocates from the Armenian side, however, maintain Azerbaijan is still holding hundreds of people hostage, pledging to submit evidence proving the capture of said persons to international agencies and courts. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |