Human rights advocate Siranush Sahakyan stated that nearly 80 Armenians held in captivity in Azerbaijan since 2020 have been subjected to enforced disappearance. She made the remarks during a discussion titled “Armenian detainees in Baku and pathways for their return.”

According to official data, 23 Armenians are currently held in Baku—five captured in 2020 and the rest in 2023. Trials have concluded for seven of them, with guilty verdicts issued.

“We view the issue of detainees from two angles. The primary concern is their release, but their detention conditions must also respect their rights,” Sahakyan emphasized. “This issue is directly tied to enforced disappearances. Around 80 Armenians have disappeared under such circumstances. These are human lives left in uncertainty,” she added, as reported by Sputnik Armenia.

She clarified that this group of 80 is not classified as missing persons, since there is verified evidence—videos, photos, and eyewitness testimonies—proving they were in Azerbaijani custody.

“These cases date back to 2020. The individuals were under physical control of Azerbaijani forces for some time, but their fate is now unknown.”

“There are two hypotheses: they are either being held in secret locations or have been killed. We don’t know their whereabouts, legal status, or fate, which is why they are considered forcibly disappeared,” she said. “Numerous inquiries have been submitted to both the United Nations and the European Court of Human Rights, but Azerbaijan has rejected them, referring to its own national commission and denying both their detention and the presence of their remains in Azerbaijan.”

According to Sahakyan, such denial serves to conceal war crimes, as enforced disappearance is a war crime, even if the individuals are still alive.

She recalled that about 210 Armenians have been repatriated from Azerbaijan, including those detained during border incidents prior to the 44-day war. Sahakyan noted that there were also documented killings in those cases.