Siranush Sahakyan, head of the “International and Comparative Law Center” responded to the questions of a journalist from "Euromedia24."
Speaking about the connection between the failures of COP29 and the judicial proceedings against Armenian prisoners of war, Siranush Sahakyan emphasized that political processes and release processes have direct links and have mutual effects.
"During COP29, there was mutual pressure, including condemnation of Azerbaijan’s actions—both for failing to release Armenian prisoners and for its unresolved internal human rights issues. Some delegations even spoke out against these practices, faced pressure, and were forced to leave the country before the event concluded. In response, Azerbaijan is once again shifting the consequences of its failures onto the Armenian hostages. It is evident that Azerbaijan is attempting to extract more concessions through negotiation processes. These cases involve around 40 charges, including serious crimes such as terrorism and war crimes. Internationally, there is zero tolerance for crimes of this nature."
The journalist asked whether Armenia is taking sufficient steps to secure the return of Armenian captives. According to Siranush Sahakyan, Armenia’s diplomatic and political efforts are extremely limited. She explained, “This stems from Armenia’s weak negotiating position. It is understandable that Armenia cannot resolve such issues within Armenian-Azerbaijani relations on its own. Without active involvement from the international community, these issues will remain unresolved.
In negotiations, Azerbaijan primarily imposes unilateral dictates. These are not processes aimed at finding solutions based on compromise, justice, and adherence to legal principles; rather, they are political maneuvers designed to satisfy Baku’s whims. Consequently, the issue cannot be resolved through bilateral negotiations alone but requires the active engagement of international partners.”