Opposition MP urges Euronest to demand release of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan

Opposition lawmaker Artur Khachatryan on Tuesday called on the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly to demand the immediate release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

Speaking at a meeting of Euronest's Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy in Yerevan, the Hayastan faction MP said lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be “just and based on fairness and justice”.

He highlighted that Azerbaijan continues to occupy over 200 square kilometers of sovereign Armenian territory and meddle in Armenia’s domestic affairs, including by demanding constitutional changes as a precondition for the conclusion of a bilateral peace treaty.

Khachatryan also condemned the ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, saying no Armenians remain there following the 2023 mass exodus. He urged Europe not to turn a blind eye and to insist on the safe and dignified return of Artsakh Armenians to their homes with international protection.

The MP proposed that Euronest send a message to Baku, declaring it would not tolerate “inhumane actions by Azerbaijan’s fascist regime”.