What changed

on unlawful detention and sham trial of Armenian hostages, including high-ranking political representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijan

B100184/2025

B100179/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on unlawful detention and sham trial of Armenian hostages, including high-ranking political representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijan

including high-ranking political representatives from Nagorno Karabakh, by Azerbaijan

(2025/2596(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on AzerbaijanRule and150 theof situationits inRules Nagorno-of Karabakh,Procedure,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

A. whereas on September 19 2023, Azerbaijan resumed its offensive on the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the killing of at least 400 people and the forced exodus of around 100,000 Armenians to Armenia;

– having regard to the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War,

B. whereas the authorities of the self-proclaimed "Artsakh republic" have effectively surrendered; whereas all the political institutions of Artsakh were dissolved on the 1st of January 2024;

A. whereas the Azerbaijani authorities have officially acknowledged the detention of 23 individuals - citizens of the Republic of Armenia and of Armenian origins - while human rights activists have documented at least 80 confirmed cases of Armenian captives;

C. whereas, following the surrender, Azerbaijani forces arrested eight Armenian leaders of the NKR, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Ruben Vardanyan, who now face trials in Baku; whereas, they are charged with terrorism, forming illegal armed groups, and war crimes, and face sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment;

B. whereas there are credible reports of abuse, psychological torture, and unfair trial against the Armenian prisoners held in Baku, including seven who have already been sentenced to heavy prison terms in unfair trials;

D. whereas, since 2020, Azerbaijan has been destroying, in newly conquered territories, Armenian and Christian historical sites of global importance;

C. whereas since 17 January 2025 sixteen detainees, including former military and political leaders of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh, have been subjected to unjust trials lacking transparency and due process;

E. whereas the European Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the EU and Azerbaijan on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy on July 2022 to double imports of Azeri natural gas to the EU by 2027;

D. whereas philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, imprisoned since September 2023, initiated a hunger strike on 19 February 2025 in protest against his unlawful detention and trial;

1. Firmly condemns Azerbaijan's attack on Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19, 2023, carried out under the false pretext of an anti-terrorist operation;

E. whereas several reports reveal actions of Azerbaijani authorities that constitute serious violations of international law, including the Geneva Convention (III),

2. Stresses that the Armenian leaders should be treated as political prisoners rather than terrorists; calls on Azerbaijani authorities to ensure a fair, transparent trial, uphold the right to choose legal defence counsel, and guarantee that the detainees are not subjected to ill-treatment;

1. Denounces the unjust detention, inhumane treatment, and unfair trials of Armenian prisoners, including high-ranking political representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijan, and demands their immediate and unconditional release;

3. Expresses deep concern over the fate of Armenian and Christian cultural heritage in the region; recalls that in the territories seized by Azerbaijan in 2020, Armenian and Christian cultural sites have been systematically destroyed; stresses that the forced mass exodus of Armenians from the region, combined with the destruction of their cultural heritage, constitutes an act of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh;

2. Expresses grave concern over the reported instances of torture and ill-treatment, and calls for an independent investigation into these violations;

4. Recalls and condemns Turkey's role in destabilizing the region, including its military support to Baku during the 2020 war and sending Syrian Islamists to fight for Aliyev; stresses that Turkey’s actions contradict EU Member States' interests and worsen regional security; reiterates that, in light of these actions, Turkey’s EU accession path should be terminated;

3. Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to comply with their international obligations, including the Geneva Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights;

5. Condemns the EU’s lenient stance toward Azerbaijan's hostile actions against Armenia, as well as Azerbaijan's aggressive position toward France, particularly regarding interference in its internal affairs through support for independence movements and the spreading of disinformation in New Caledonia; underlines that the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on a strategic energy partnership was signed after Azerbaijan's 2020 war, which involved acts of torture, the persecution of Armenians, and the destruction of Armenian and Christian cultural sites;

4. Requests the EU and international organizations to facilitate deployment of humanitarian and medical missions to assess the well-being of the detained individuals;

6. Calls on the EU to stop funding to Azerbaijan, particularly within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the Eastern Partnership;

5. Stresses the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Armenian political prisoners, ensure their protection, and the accountability of those responsible for their mistreatment;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the relevant parties.

6. Calls on the Council to impose targeted sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for the reported human rights violations, including judges Zeynal Agayev, Jamal Ramazanov, and Anar Rzayev;

7. Strongly condemns the Azerbaijani government’s decision to close the offices of UN bodies and of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which severely impedes international humanitarian efforts and monitoring mechanisms;

8. Calls upon the International Criminal Court and its Chief Prosecutor to investigate cases on the forced displacement, persecution, and ethnic cleansing against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh;

9. Welcomes the statement of UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, demanding the unconditional release and safe return of all prisoners of war, hostages and other detained individuals unlawfully detained in Azerbaijan, including high-ranking officials of Nagorno-Karabakh;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the European Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations.