Mirzoyan says release of POWs top priority

PanARMENIAN.Net - Speaking during a government Q&A session in parliament, Ararat Mirzoyan said that there is still no final solution regarding Armenian prisoners, despite Azerbaijan’s prior public commitment to free them, 1lurer.am reports.

He underlined that the release of prisoners and hostages is at the center of the government’s attention:

“If two countries sincerely declare they are making peace, the first step must be resolving humanitarian issues, because these are deeply sensitive and painful matters for people.

Today, as before, our top focus is on humanitarian issues, first and foremost the release of prisoners and hostages, and clarifying the fate of missing persons. I assure you, this work is ongoing today and will not stop tomorrow,” Mirzoyan stated.

Meanwhile, Armenian detainee Vicken Euljekjian has been on a hunger strike in an Azerbaijani prison for 28 days, with his family still unaware of his condition. On September 3, Azerbaijan forced the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to suspend its mission in the country, declaring that Azerbaijani authorities would themselves ensure communication between detainees and families. Lawyer Siranush Sahakyan told the European Court of Human Rights that suicide attempts have been reported among Armenian captives in Azerbaijani prisons.