The issue of releasing Armenian prisoners of war and the former leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) remains one of the most acute and complex on the international agenda, as it stands at the intersection of international law, human rights protection, and hard geopolitical interests.
Part 1: Will the international community be able to force Azerbaijan to release the prisoners?
To date, the international community has primarily used diplomatic and political pressure tools, which have not yet led to the full release of all detainees.
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- Legal Mechanisms: The UN International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) have repeatedly adopted provisional measures, ordering Baku to ensure the safety of prisoners and provide information about them. However, the mechanisms for direct enforcement of these decisions by the courts are limited.
- Legislative Initiatives: Resolutions like the one adopted by the US Congress, as well as similar documents from the European Parliament and PACE, demonstrate the tough stance of lawmakers. They create a foundation for the potential introduction of targeted sanctions (for example, under the Global Magnitsky Act) against Azerbaijani officials responsible for detaining the prisoners.
- Baku’s Position: The Azerbaijani side refuses to classify the detained leaders of Artsakh (such as Ruben Vardanyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, and others) as prisoners of war. Baku levels charges against them of terrorism, separatism, and the creation of illegal armed formations, conducting trials under its national legislation. Official Baku demonstrates a readiness to discuss these issues only in the context of bilateral peace talks with Yerevan, using the topic of detainees as an element of political bargaining.
Part 2: Geopolitical factors: why does Baku ignore international demands?
The resilience of Azerbaijan’s position in the face of international criticism is largely due to its unique geopolitical position and its system of alliance relations.
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- Strategic Alliance with Turkey: Turkey provides Azerbaijan with absolute political, diplomatic, and military support (anchored by the Shusha Declaration). As a key NATO member and a powerful regional power, Turkey serves as a reliable shield for Baku against harsh pressure from both the West and other regional players.
- Partnership with Israel: Deep military-technical and strategic cooperation exists between Baku and Tel Aviv. Azerbaijan is an important supplier of oil to Israel, and in return receives high-tech weaponry (including UAVs and air defense systems). For Israel, Azerbaijan is also of critical importance as a bridgehead on the border with Iran.
- Energy Role for the West (EU): Following the sharp reduction in energy supplies from Russia, the European Union began to view Azerbaijan as one of the key alternative suppliers of gas and oil. The energy agreements signed between the EU and Baku reduce the readiness of European leaders to resort to harsh economic sanctions, limiting Brussels’ reaction to diplomatic statements and appeals.
- Balancing in the Russia — Iran — West Triangle: In the context of global confrontation, Azerbaijan effectively uses a policy of maneuvering. Baku maintains a pragmatic dialogue with Moscow, developing the “North — South” transport corridor. Simultaneously, Baku relies on Turkey and Israel to deter Iran, while the US and EU view Azerbaijan as a key secular partner in the region whose pivot towards Moscow or Beijing is undesirable.
Part 3: What is Yerevan’s official position in the current negotiations regarding the return of Artsakh leaders?
Official Yerevan states that the issue of releasing all Armenian detainees, including the former military and political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), is constantly on the agenda of ongoing peace talks with Baku. However, the approach of Nikol Pashinyan’s government to this problem has specific features that spark sharp debates both inside Armenia and among Artsakh refugees.
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- Regular discussion at meetings: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasizes that there is not a single diplomatic meeting or round of negotiations with Azerbaijan where the Armenian side does not raise the issue of detainees. The Armenian authorities insist on the “all for all” principle in prisoner exchanges.
- Peace as the main condition: According to the official doctrine of the government, the key and only long-term condition for the return of prisoners is the signing of a comprehensive peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Yerevan views the release of the leaders as a consequence of achieving full normalization of relations, rather than a prerequisite for continuing the dialogue.
- Diplomatic caution: Commenting on the trials of former Artsakh leaders in Baku, Pashinyan called the verdicts handed down to them “regrettable and heavy.” At the same time, official agencies avoid excessively harsh rhetoric to avoid disrupting the fragile process of border delimitation and preparation of the peace agreement.
- Main lines of criticism and problematic issues: The Armenian parliamentary opposition and human rights activists criticize the government for not making the return of Artsakh leaders a “red line” in the negotiations. Meanwhile, former high-ranking officials detained in Baku (such as General David Manukyan) have publicly called on Yerevan to openly refute the accusations made by Azerbaijan. Additionally, Yerevan has effectively separated the issues of returning prisoners from the hypothetical return of the Armenian population to Artsakh, admitting that the topic of refugee return is currently not being discussed.
Thus, Yerevan legally and diplomatically keeps the issue of releasing Artsakh leaders on the negotiation agenda but prefers to act within the framework of compromise diplomacy. The authorities place their main bet on international mediation and the conclusion of a final peace, which fundamentally differs from the demands of Armenian society to make the freedom of hostages a mandatory condition for any concessions to Baku.
* This text has been automatically translated using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
