Paris Mayor Urges Immediate Release of 55 Armenian Prisoners in Azerbaijan

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has demanded the immediate release of 55 Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, alleging political motives behind their detention. Le Point reported Mayor Hidalgo's call during a press conference at City Hall on Friday, where she was joined by notable figures such as former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo and MEP (PPE) François-Xavier Bellamy.

According to Mayor Hidalgo, the detainees, including eight former leaders of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), were arrested both during the 2020 war and more recently in September during Azerbaijan's large-scale offensive. Describing the situation as a "genocidal process" against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, Hidalgo cited a report submitted in July by Luis Moreno Ocampo as the basis for her concerns.

Mourad Papazian, co-president of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF), expressed deep concern about the conditions of the prisoners, emphasizing that they had minimal contact with their families, with no communication since. "So, we do not know under what conditions of psychological and physical pressure they are detained today," Papazian said.

Luis Moreno Ocampo went further, asserting that these hostages required international protection, questioning the fairness of the Azerbaijani legal system. "There is not a single Azerbaijani judge who would free them; no one can contradict President Aliyev," declared Moreno Ocampo.

François-Xavier Bellamy added a diplomatic dimension to the discourse, calling for an end to the gas agreement between Europe and Azerbaijan. He also demanded the seizure of assets belonging to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in France, underlining the need for international measures to address the situation.

The passionate plea from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and the accompanying dignitaries highlights the international concern over the welfare and rights of the detained Armenians in Azerbaijan, setting the stage for potential diplomatic repercussions between France and Azerbaijan.