Armenian MP Armen Gevorgyan raised the issue of Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan during a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), criticizing the Council's inaction.

“You are aware that shameful trials are currently taking place in Azerbaijan against Armenian prisoners. This organization has so far failed to exert any significant influence on the Azerbaijani authorities or ensure a fair and dignified resolution of these cases. Why is the Council of Europe unable to act in this situation? What message does this send to those who still believe in democratic values, especially at a time when those values are under intense pressure?” Gevorgyan asked.

In response, Ian Borg, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Malta’s Minister for Foreign, European Affairs and Trade, said: “We can only urge all member states to uphold the values of this organization and honor the commitments they made upon joining the Council of Europe. We expect this not only from Azerbaijan and Turkey, but from all member states.”

He also stated that Armenia and Azerbaijan are “very close” to signing a peace agreement.

PACE member Hripsime Grigoryan reminded attendees of a recent ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, where the Committee of Ministers had urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a peace treaty. She asked what specific mediation efforts had been undertaken to facilitate that agreement.

In September 2023, after a nine-month blockade and the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenian population, Azerbaijan captured several former leaders of the region, including ex-presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan, as well as former state minister Ruben Vardanyan and others. The fabricated charges against them could result in life imprisonment. Their politically motivated trials began in Baku on January 17.