Armenian opposition politician urges focus on prisoners ahead of Vance visit

Armenian opposition politician Armen Ashotyan says the upcoming visit by US Vice-President JD Vance should be used to push for the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

Reacting to US President Donald Trump's latest statement that Vance plans to visit both Armenia and Azerbaijan in February, Ashotyan said in a social media post that efforts should focus on securing the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku, including former Artsakh military and political leaders.

Ashotyan, deputy chair of the Republican Party of Armenia, said the issue should be raised during the vice-president’s stop in Azerbaijan, arguing that similar US engagement had previously led to the release of political prisoners in Belarus.

He added that advocacy for the rights of Armenian Christians in Azerbaijan and detained senior clergymen in Armenia could align with the outlook of the current US administration.

Ashotyan said coordinated action in Armenia and the diaspora could help “capitalise” on the visit to achieve concrete results.