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POW Says Azerbaijan Blocks Armenian Detainees From Court Documents and Legal Representation
Davit Ishkhanyan, the former speaker of the Artsakh Parliament imprisoned in Azerbaijan, says Azerbaijani authorities have withheld court rulings from Armenian detainees and their lawyers, blocked efforts to authorize legal representation in Armenia and left prisoners with no practical way to contact the country’s human rights ombudswoman. In a message from prison, Ishkhanyan challenged recent statements by Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva about the treat
Armenian Officials Pressed by Ruben Vardanyan’s Wife and Attorney for Concrete Action on POWs Held in Azerbaijan
The wife of imprisoned Armenian businessman and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan and a lawyer representing Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan have asked the Armenian government for more direct involvement in humanitarian issues affecting detainees, including medical care, family contact and conditions at Baku’s Umbaki prison complex. Veronika Zonabend and attorney Siranush Sahakyan met Aug. 17 with officials from Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, the Office of the Human Rights Defender
The Armenian Report Team
Aug 20
‘Imprisoned, but Not on Our Knees’: POW Davit Babayan Speaks From Azerbaijani Custody
Former Artsakh Foreign Minister Davit Babayan has accused Azerbaijan’s courts of staging a predetermined legal process against him and other imprisoned Armenian officials, saying the record of the proceedings will now form part of their case before international courts. Babayan made the allegations in a message sent from Azerbaijani custody through his family and provided to News.am. His remarks came after an appeals court upheld the verdicts against him and other former Arts
The Armenian Report Team
Aug 19
“The Verdict Was Decided Long Ago”: POW Davit Ishkhanyan Says Baku Appeal Was a Political Trial
Davit Ishkhanyan, the former speaker of Artsakh’s National Assembly who is being held in Baku, said the outcome of his appeal had been decided before the judges began deliberations, describing the case as a political prosecution rather than a legitimate judicial process. In a message released after the latest court hearing, Ishkhanyan said Azerbaijan’s Court of Appeal had formally withdrawn to consider its ruling, but argued that the panel had no real role in determining the
Day 40: Armenian POW's Family Still Waiting for Proof He's Alive
Forty days have passed since Armenian prisoner of war Ludwig Mkrtchyan last spoke with his wife, and his family still has no information about his whereabouts, his health or whether he has received medical care. The prolonged silence comes despite an urgent humanitarian appeal submitted by his attorney, Luciana Minassian, to Azerbaijan's Commissioner for Human Rights, Sabina Aliyeva, requesting immediate intervention. Minassian told The Armenian Report on Wednesday that she h
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 29
Armenian POW’s Lawyer Appeals to Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner as Family Endures Month Without Contact
An attorney representing Armenian prisoner Ludwig Mkrtchyan has appealed to Azerbaijan's human rights commissioner, seeking urgent humanitarian intervention as concerns intensify over his deteriorating health and his family's inability to contact him for more than a month. Attorney Luciana Minassian confirmed to The Armenian Report that she has formally submitted an appeal to Azerbaijan's Commissioner for Human Rights, Sabina Aliyeva. According to Minassian, the commissioner'
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 28
Family of Armenian POW Loses All Contact for Over a Month After Health Collapse, Lawyer Urges Azerbaijan to Respect Basic Human Rights
The family of an Armenian prisoner held in Azerbaijan says it fears for his life after losing all contact with him for more than a month, following reports that his health has sharply deteriorated. Ludwig Mkrtchyan, 56, has been imprisoned in Baku for nearly six years. His attorney, Lusiana Minasyan, is urging Azerbaijani authorities and President Ilham Aliyev to immediately allow him to speak with his family, saying even a single phone call is a basic humanitarian measure. A
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 27
POW David Ishkhanyan Says Azerbaijani Officials Claim Armenia Is Not Seeking Prisoners’ Return
Former Artsakh National Assembly Speaker David Ishkhanyan, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence handed down by a military court in Azerbaijan, says his appeal has little chance of changing the outcome but remains necessary to eventually bring his case before international courts. In a statement from Baku prison, Ishkhanyan said the appellate proceedings are largely procedural and that he does not expect the original verdict to be overturned. He said he and his legal team
Wife of Armenian POW Ruben Vardanyan Calls for International Humanitarian Mission to Azerbaijan
Veronika Zonabend, the wife of Armenian businessman and former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, has announced plans to organize an international women's humanitarian delegation to Azerbaijan, citing what she describes as a growing humanitarian vacuum surrounding Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijani custody. In a public appeal, Zonabend said her husband has remained in detention since September 2023 and has been separated from his family for years, including missing t
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 15
Armenian Ex-POW Karlen Stepanyan Dies at 52 After Battling Cancer and Enduring Personal Loss
Karlen Stepanyan, an Armenian serviceman who spent weeks in Azerbaijani captivity following the deadly border clashes of November 2021, has died at the age of 52 after battling cancer. His death became publicly known only days later after filmmaker and activist Hovhannes Ishkhanyan shared the news on social media. As of now, Ishkhanyan appears to be the only person to have publicly reported Stepanyan's passing. According to Ishkhanyan, Stepanyan died three days ago after endu
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 13
U.S. House Committee Backs Amendment Calling for Release of Armenian Prisoners Held by Azerbaijan
A bipartisan initiative in the U.S. House of Representatives is gaining momentum in support of Armenian prisoners held by Azerbaijan, as lawmakers advance an amendment calling for their immediate and unconditional release. The amendment, introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Brad Sherman of California, was approved during a markup session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee as part of legislation to update the U.S. Foreign Service Act. The measure rec
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 10
Former Armenian POW Says He Survived Years of Torture in Azerbaijani Captivity Only to Return Home to Loss and Hardship
EXCLUSIVE: The Armenian Report had an exclusive interview with former Armenian hostage and prisoner of war Lebanese-Armenian Vicken Euljekjian, who returned to Armenia on January 14, 2026, after spending more than five years in Azerbaijani captivity. He returned together with three other Armenian captives — Gevorg Sujyan, Davit Davtyan, and Vagif Khachatryan — as part of a release process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During the interview, Euljekjian spoke about the emotion
The Armenian Report Team
May 14
Armenian POW in Azerbaijan Appeals to World Over Alleged Rights Violations in Baku Trial, David Babayan Says Appeal Letters “Disappeared” in Azerbaijani Custody
Calling on the international community, human rights defenders, journalists, and democratic governments to pay attention to what he described as serious violations during ongoing court proceedings in Baku, former Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Foreign Minister David Babayan has issued a new public appeal from Azerbaijani captivity. The audio message was provided to NEWS.am through Babayan’s family. In the lengthy statement, Babayan said complaint letters addressed to the appellat
The Armenian Report Team
May 14
POW Ruben Vardanyan Transferred to Penitentiary Facility in Azerbaijan
Ruben Vardanyan, the former state minister of Nagorno-Karabakh, has been transferred to a penitentiary facility in Azerbaijan following his conviction earlier this year — a new phase in his detention, according to his legal representative. Human rights attorney Siranush Sahakyan confirmed in an interview with The Armenian Report that Vardanyan, along with other Armenian detainees, was moved in the past week from a pre-trial detention facility run by Azerbaijan’s State Securit
The Armenian Report Team
Apr 28
“I Am in Armenia, Which Means I Am Fine”: Freed POW Vagif Khachatryan Under Medical Care
One of the four Armenian citizens released from Azerbaijani captivity, 70-year-old Vagif Khachatryan, is currently undergoing medical examinations in Armenia and is waiting to reunite with his family. This information was shared by Armenia’s Minister of Health, Anahit Avanesyan, after she visited him and spoke to journalists who were waiting outside the hospital. The minister said that Khachatryan expressed relief after returning to Armenia. “He said, ‘I am in Armenia, which
The Armenian Report Team
Jan 14
‘I Want to Be by My Only Son’s Side’: Lebanese-Armenian POW’s Letter Leaves Family in Tears, Son Vows to Wait
After months without any direct contact, the family of Vicken Euljekjian, an Armenian-Lebanese civilian detained in Azerbaijan, has received a handwritten letter confirming that he is alive. The letter was addressed to his wife, Linda, and brought a powerful moment of relief after a long period of fear and uncertainty. For the family, the message ended months of silence and helped restore a personal connection that had been completely cut off. The letter confirmed not only hi
70-Year-Old Armenian POW Vagif Khachatryan in Critical Condition in Baku Prison
The health condition of Vagif Khachatryan, an Armenian man imprisoned in Azerbaijan, has sharply worsened. Azerbaijani media outlets have reported that Khachatryan has been hospitalized and is now in critical condition. According to these reports, Khachatryan, who is 70 years old and is being held in Azerbaijani captivity, began to feel seriously unwell on December 22. He reportedly experienced severe breathing problems along with pain in his heart. Due to the seriousness of
The Armenian Report Team
Dec 23, 2025
Armenian Delegation Arrives in Baku for First Government-Backed Talks — No Plan to Visit Armenian POWs
Five representatives of Armenia’s civil society have arrived in Baku to take part in joint discussions with Azerbaijani experts. This is one of the first such visits organized with the support of both governments. A visit to Armenian captives held in Azerbaijani prisons is not included in the program, even though members of the group had previously expressed interest in meeting them. After learning the details of the trip, The Armenian Report sent questions to delegation memb
The Armenian Report Team
Nov 21, 2025
Baku Court Rejects Armenian POW’s Request to Call Pashinyan and Mirzoyan as Witnesses
Another staged trial against Armenian captives took place today in Baku, once again showing Azerbaijan’s attempt to turn justice into a...
The Armenian Report Team
Sep 22, 2025
Greta Thunberg’s Presence in Yerevan Pressures Azerbaijan on Armenian POW Rights, Says Siranush Sahakyan
A very important conference was held in Yerevan today on "Azerbaijan's aggression against human rights and environmental protection"....
The Armenian Report Team
Nov 14, 2024
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