Alen Simonyan, Speaker of the National Assembly, addressed the recent visit by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and responded to a journalist's question on whether there have been tangible results concerning Armenian captives. He said the matter is not publicly discussed.

“We are often asked this question. Our response remains: we don’t speak about it publicly. Work is being done, and following that, a certain number of people return to Armenia. Nothing has changed in the tactical approach,” he stated, as reported by Auroranews.am.

He also praised the adopted working style with Azerbaijan in the context of the captives' issue.

“I highly appreciate the working approach we have adopted with Azerbaijan. I believe if we continue moving forward along this path, our two countries will soon have no more issues,” Simonyan said.

Former President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Also sentenced to life are former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, former Deputy Commander Davit Manukyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, and Speaker of the National Assembly Davit Ishkhanyan. Former Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan received 20-year prison terms. Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan were sentenced to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan to 18, while Davit Alaverdyan and Levon Balayan received 16-year terms. Erik Ghazaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Vasily Beglaryan were sentenced to 15 years in prison.