PACE parliamentarians demand withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces, release of all Armenian POWs

• 10.19.2022, 10:04
•  Europe,  Region,  World,  Armenia

Parliamentarians from all Political Groups of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has signed a written declaration, demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia and urgent repatriation of all Armenian POWs, Armradio reports.

Noting that Azerbaijan initiated large-scale military aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in September 2022, the lawmakers stress that “with these unprovoked acts of military aggression, Azerbaijan targeted also civilian infrastructure in densely populated settlements of Armenia, causing hundreds of human losses, including civilians.

“There is appalling evidence of cases of torture, mutilation of captured and dead soldiers, including women,” they say.

The parliamentarians condemn in the strongest terms the aggression of Azerbaijan, which is in blatant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, International Humanitarian Law and the statutory, conventional and membership obligations of Azerbaijan before the Council of Europe.

“We also condemn willful killings, torture, and inhuman treatment of prisoners of war and captured Armenians by Azerbaijani armed forces, the videos of which have been publicized in social media,” the signatories say.

They call on Azerbaijan to refrain from any future acts of aggression against the territorial integrity of Armenia and engage peacefully in negotiation process and demand immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia and urgent repatriation of all prisoners of war and other captives.

The declaration has been signed by about 50 parliamentarians representing different political groups.