MEP: Armenians targeted for location and faith

PanARMENIAN.Net - In a European Parliament session titled "Azerbaijan's illegal detentions and sham trials of Armenian captives, including Nagorno-Karabakh's senior political representatives," Italian MEP Massimiliano Salini stated that Azerbaijan continues to use force against Armenians without hindrance.

Salini identified two main reasons for these actions: the region's geographical position, serving as a junction separating Turkey and Azerbaijan, and the Christian identity of Armenians.

"After the military invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023 and the expulsion of 100,000 citizens, we now witness these illegal detentions of 23 Armenian citizens and non-transparent trials," he noted.

Salini emphasized the need for the European Union to heed the appeals of the Armenian people. He urged Europeans to decide whether to treat Azerbaijan similarly to Russia, advocating for appropriate sanctions and the release of the 23 illegally detained individuals.

Spanish MEP Pernando Barrena reminded attendees of Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. He highlighted that Azerbaijan is an authoritarian state suppressing any political dissent. Barrena called for the release of 23 Armenian prisoners of war facing sham trials, procedural violations, and fabricated charges.

He stressed the importance of the International Criminal Court investigating cases presented by the Nagorno-Karabakh ombudsman to provide a legal assessment of the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of Armenians by Azerbaijan.

Barrena concluded by questioning the European Commissioner present, inquiring whether the European Commission is prepared to impose the same sanctions on Aliyev in the event of an invasion of Armenia as those imposed on Putin after the invasion of Ukraine.

The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement highlighting ongoing efforts to draw international partners' attention to the issue of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages, and other detainees in Azerbaijan. The statement also addressed the staged trials with gross procedural violations and alarming signs of torture against some of these individuals.