Armenian MP raises alarm over closure of ICRC office in Azerbaijan

Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan has expressed concern over the closure of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office in Baku, warning that it would significantly endanger the rights of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

“The closure of the ICRC office in Baku is a deeply troubling development. It will severely undermine efforts to protect the rights of Armenian prisoners and to ensure communication with them,” Abrahamyan wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

The Pativ Unm faction MP emphasized that despite persistent obstacles created by the Azerbaijani authorities, the Red Cross continued its operations under difficult conditions, providing critical support in cases involving Armenian detainees and missing persons.

"In Azerbaijan, a country lacking democracy and rule of law, the withdrawal of the Red Cross only worsens the already dire situation. For Armenians detained there, the organization has been a vital lifeline and a beacon of hope," Abrahamyan added.