Calls for release of Armenian hostages held by Azerbaijan growing in lead-up to COP29
[World Council of Churches] The fate of Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan was the focus of an Oct. 1 side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva featuring leading advocates and human rights lawyers representing the detainees.
A year since the Armenian population was forced to leave Nagorno-Karabakh, at least 23 ethnic Armenians – and possibly as many as 100 – remain in detention by the government of Azerbaijan, despite international calls for their release.
Speakers at the side event emphasized that Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan have been denied their legal rights under international human rights law, noting that the abuse and mistreatment of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijani detention is well documented. They highlighted the forthcoming 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change to be hosted by Azerbaijan in Baku Nov. 11-22 as a key opportunity for advocacy and action on this issue.
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