Human rights defenders Artak Zeynalyan and Siranush Sahakyan have issued a brief message on the protection of Armenian prisoners’ rights at the European Court. According to the statement, in the case of the protection of the rights of military personnel and civilians arrested during the 44-day war of 2020, the European Court on 15.12.2020, 16.12.2020, 21.12.2020 , 22.12.2020, 30.12.2020 granted their applications and decided to apply emergency measures to 23 more individuals.
"Our claims about the capture or arrest of the individuals mentioned are based on evidence obtained, including videos. The European Court requested documented information from the Azerbaijani government regarding the circumstances of their capture, location, conditions of detention and medical care. The court accordingly set deadlines for providing the requested information.
Thus, our applications to the European Court protect the rights of 80 captured military officers and arrested civilians. 18 of them have already returned to their homeland.
As a New Year's and Christmas speech, we express our gratitude to the people who have done their duty to the state and the motherland, we bow before them for their feats and heroism, bravery and endurance, as well as for the hardships and sufferings they endured.
We will spare no effort to identify and return all the captives to their homeland, to protect their and their family members’ rights. May all of us have wisdom and energy to act," the message states.