‘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 his survival but also his continued concern for his loved ones. While the message brought comfort, serious concerns remain about his prolonged detention and overall well-being.

The Armenian Report contacted Linda to learn more about the contents of the letter and how the family reacted. She said the message was deeply emotional and focused on family matters. She told The Armenian Report, “It was a very moving message; he asked his son to postpone his marriage and asked me to take care of my mother because she had always been by his side and was now suffering from cancer. He expressed his happiness at the presence of the Red Cross.”

Linda explained that her husband wanted his son to delay the wedding so he could be there in person. She said he wrote, “I want to be by my only son's side.”

The letter also had a strong emotional effect on their son, Serge. When asked how he reacted, Linda said, “He is 26 years old. My son is very attached to his father, and that's what made him cry yesterday. He said yes, I will wait for my dad.”

The message has given the family strength, but it has not eased their worries about his continued detention. Questions about his legal situation, health, and future remain unanswered, and the family continues to hope for progress.

The delivery of the letter was made possible with the involvement of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which helped ensure the correspondence reached the family in a neutral and independent manner.

The letter was later confirmed by SOAR, which emphasized the importance of detainees being able to maintain contact with their families and called for continued international attention to protect the rights and welfare of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan.

For the Euljekjian family, the handwritten message stands as a rare and powerful reminder of hope. Though brief, it allowed a husband and father to speak to his family again and reinforced their determination to wait for the day he can return home.

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