Protest in Yerevan, Demanding the Release of Armenian POWs Held in Azerbaijan Ahead of COP29
Hundreds of citizens gathered outside the United Nations office in Yerevan, Armenia, on a mission to demand the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and hostages held in Azerbaijan. This protest, initiated by Gegham Stepanyan, the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), comes just weeks ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), which will take place in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, in November.
The protest is part of a wider movement happening in several countries, as citizens and human rights advocates rally to bring to light the humanitarian crisis faced by Armenia. The focus of these demonstrations is to pressure Azerbaijan to comply with international humanitarian law and release Armenian detainees. Many Armenians, including former human rights defenders from both Armenia and Artsakh, joined Stepanyan in calling for immediate action.
Stepanyan, who spearheaded the Yerevan protest, emphasized the importance of raising international awareness before COP29. As the world’s attention shifts to Azerbaijan in November for the climate conference, activists believe it is a critical time to push for justice and pressure Azerbaijan to release Armenian POWs and hostages. In his speech to the crowd, Stepanyan said, "As the day of the conference approaches, there is a certain activeness in the international arena regarding this issue. This is a period that will draw the world's attention to Azerbaijan, and we must force Azerbaijan to comply with the provisions of international humanitarian law."
Stepanyan pointed to the global response to other international conflicts, such as the recent call by the United Nations Secretary-General for the release of hostages in the Middle East. He stressed that the same level of urgency must apply to the Armenian prisoners. "We have seen that in the case of the Middle East conflict, the Secretary-General of the United Nations issued a call and a clear demand to release the hostages. The same should be the case with the Armenian prisoners," he stated.
The protesters handed over a letter to the UN office in Yerevan addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In this letter, Stepanyan listed Azerbaijan's recent actions against the people of Artsakh, describing them as part of a long history of aggression. He explained that despite numerous appeals from Artsakh’s authorities and civil society warning of Azerbaijan's hostile actions, the international community had largely ignored these warnings. He noted that "Artsakh, which has several thousand years of Armenian history, was occupied and completely depopulated" in just a few days.
Stepanyan also criticized the international community for failing to act in the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, saying, "After the 44-day war of 2020, the international community did not show the political will to properly evaluate the crimes of Azerbaijan and ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh."
The Yerevan protest is only one of many that have been planned. In addition to the demonstrations outside the UN office, Stepanyan and other protest organizers intend to stage similar actions at the Armenian foreign ministry and the embassies of Russia, France, and the United States in Armenia. During these protests, letters with the same demand for the release of Armenian prisoners will be handed to representatives of these nations, urging them to take action on this humanitarian issue.
The involvement of high-profile Armenian figures has also drawn attention to the protests. Former human rights defenders from both Armenia and Artsakh, such as Yuri Hayrapetyan, Ruben Melikyan, Artak Beglaryan, Arman Tatoyan, and Larisa Alaverdyan, joined Stepanyan in condemning Azerbaijan’s treatment of Armenian detainees. They emphasized that the Armenian government needs to be more active in pushing for international support on this issue.
Gagik Baghunts, Speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly, also voiced his frustration during the protest. He criticized the Armenian government for not taking a stronger stance in the face of Azerbaijan’s actions. Baghunts described the lack of strict demands from Armenian authorities as "unacceptable," arguing that this weakness has emboldened Azerbaijan to make more demands. "COP29 is less than a month away, and we need to raise the issue of our hostages more decisively, even if we don’t have the support of the Armenian authorities," Baghunts said. He stressed that protest actions, though often symbolic, are necessary to express the dissatisfaction of Armenian society and to push the international community to act.
With COP29 drawing near, Armenia faces a critical window of opportunity to bring the issue of its prisoners to the forefront of international discussions. Activists hope that the protests in Yerevan and abroad will increase global pressure on Azerbaijan to comply with international humanitarian law. As the world focuses on Baku in November for climate change talks, many hope that attention will also turn to Azerbaijan’s human rights record, particularly its treatment of Armenian POWs and hostages.
The demonstrators in Yerevan are determined to make their voices heard. Their message is clear: the international community cannot ignore the plight of Armenian detainees any longer. As the protests continue to grow, the world will watch to see if the Armenian people’s demands for justice are met.
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