RA ruling MPs reject call for OSCE mission on detainees

PanARMENIAN.Net - Opposition MP Lilit Galstyan announced via Facebook that ruling party representatives in the Armenian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) did not support her proposal to include in the final resolution a call for deploying an international observation mission to monitor the trials of Armenian prisoners of war and political leaders held in Baku, until their unconditional release. The proposal also addressed safeguarding the cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Moreover, not only did they reject my proposal, it turned out that they had reached a mutual agreement with the Azerbaijani delegation,” Galstyan wrote.

She also shared her speech at the assembly:

“Dear colleagues, my proposed amendment to paragraph 52 concerns the trials of Armenian POWs, and the protection of the cultural and religious heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Various credible reports confirm that former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian prisoners of war remain in Azerbaijani custody under highly concerning conditions. They are subjected to torture and denied basic legal safeguards, including access to international legal counsel. Even Red Cross visits are banned. It is a well-documented fact that Azerbaijan is disregarding fundamental human rights standards.

I call on my colleagues to support ensuring humane treatment for Armenian POWs and detainees. This requires access for international observers, including representatives from OSCE member states, and continuous monitoring until their unconditional release.

Furthermore, I urge the initiation of a fact-finding mission to protect the region’s cultural heritage, which continues to be systematically destroyed as part of Azerbaijan’s state-led campaign to erase Armenian traces.

Dear colleagues,

I speak for the thousands who await a just decision from this assembly.

My proposals in no way obstruct the peace process. On the contrary, they offer Azerbaijan an opportunity to demonstrate political will and positively impact the peaceful settlement. Your vote is crucial for building reconciliation,” Galstyan stated in her address.