Hunger striker accuses Armenian government of inaction over prisoners held in Azerbaijan

Vardan Avagyan, an Armenian citizen on a hunger strike in Yerevan’s Liberty Square in support of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, has accused the Armenian government of inaction and deliberate negligence regarding their release.

"The human rights defender visited us on Tuesday. I personally spoke with her and asked her several questions, but received vague answers," Avagyan said in an interview with Panorama.am.

The defender, Anahit Manasyan, told the protester that the prisoner issue was beyond the ombudsperson’s powers, as she is only responsible for protecting the rights of Armenians within Armenia.

"So, it turns out that the moment you step outside Armenia, you’re no longer considered Armenian," Avagyan remarked.

He and fellow hunger striker Artavazd Alaverdyan have no expectations from the human rights defender or the Armenian authorities regarding the repatriation of Armenians unlawfully detained in Baku. They do not believe the government will take any effective steps to secure their release.

"I have no expectations from her or the entire government. If they were capable of doing something, they would have done it by now. It’s not a matter of ability—they simply have no desire to act. They are doing everything possible to ensure that Armenian prisoners remain in Azerbaijani captivity for as long as possible. When I listen to them speak, I can't believe they have any connection to Armenia—it feels like they are Azerbaijan’s special envoys in our country," Avagyan stated.

Alaverdyan emphasized that he will continue his hunger strike until Ruben Vardanyan—who has been unlawfully detained in Baku and has been on a hunger strike for over ten days—ends his protest.

"We want all captives to know that they are not alone, that there are people here who support them and their lives matter," he added.