Armenian Prisoners of War Remain Detained by Azerbaijan
More than POWs
The Armenian Weekly reports on dozens of Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan, including military personnel and civilian leaders captured during and after the 2020 war and the 2023 evacuation of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Civilian detainees include Lyudvig Mkrtchyan, captured in October 2020, who has suffered severe health deterioration during more than 2,000 days in custody. Nine others were seized during Azerbaijan's December 2022 blockade and subsequent forced evacuation of the region's Armenian population.
Higher-profile detainees include Ruben Vardanyan, a businessman and state minister; former Defense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan; Foreign Minister Davit Babayan; and Artsakh's fourth president, Arayik Harutyunyan. All were arrested between September and October 2023 as the autonomous region's leadership evacuated its population.
According to Armenian sources, the 19 known prisoners have been tortured, and their detention continues without resolution.
