On the initiative of Laurent Wauquiez, president of the France-Armenia Friendship Group of the National Assembly, a working meeting was held on Monday attended by several members of parliament and a delegation from the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF). It was an intense session devoted to the situation in Armenia, the fragile balance of power in the South Caucasus, and France's role in a still-unstable regional context. Around the table were Nadia Gortzounian, Mourad Papazian, and Ara Toranian for the CCAF; Hovhannes Guèvorguian, representative of Artsakh; and Tigrane Yégavian, analyst specializing in the Caucasus. All presented their views on the latest political and geopolitical developments in Yerevan and Baku. The first topic discussed was the fate of Armenian political and military prisoners detained in Azerbaijan. The delegation reiterated the continuing illegality of these detentions, despite Baku's international commitments and repeated calls from European organizations. The speakers called for the active remobilization of French diplomacy, arguing that the issue cannot be separated from a “just” and lasting peace. The deputies present agreed to refocus parliamentary attention on these issues, in particular through cross-party initiatives and constant questioning of the French and European authorities. The meeting also focused on the content and consequences of the peace treaty currently being finalized between Armenia and Azerbaijan. CCAF representatives and experts expressed their concerns about a text that could be likened to an imposed peace, with no known guarantees of security for the Armenian population and the country's sovereignty, while pressure and threats from the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem continue. They pointed out that the negotiations are taking place in a context marked by the forced displacement of 120,000 Armenians from Artsakh, the cultural erasure led by Baku, and the persistence of an asymmetrical military balance of power. France–Armenia: a strategic partnership to be strengthened The discussions provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in the talks on the strategic partnership between Paris and Yerevan, announced in 2023 and gradually structured since then. The CCAF representatives welcomed France's continued commitment, while stressing that this partnership must now enter a more operational phase: -support in the areas of defense and security, -enhanced economic cooperation, -consolidation of humanitarian aid, particularly for refugees from Artsakh, -increased support for Franco-Armenian development projects. The delegation also presented an overview of Armenia's economic situation and the challenges posed by the reception of refugees from Artsakh. Despite the efforts of the Armenian government, the needs remain considerable, whether in terms of housing, infrastructure, employment, or social integration. CCAF representatives emphasized the importance of Franco-Armenian partnerships, citing in particular twinning arrangements and entrepreneurial, cultural, and academic initiatives that continue to develop despite the geopolitical context. Concrete decisions for the future At the end of the discussions, the members of the friendship group announced several decisions and areas for further work: -Strengthen parliamentary action on the issue of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan. -Increase France's involvement in monitoring the peace process and supporting Armenia. -Establish more regular dialogue between the friendship group, the CCAF, experts, and actors committed to Armenia. -Support Franco-Armenian initiatives in the humanitarian, economic, educational, and cultural fields. This meeting marks a clear remobilization of the French Parliament around Armenian and South Caucasus issues. This momentum is set to continue in the coming months, in step with a region where the balance of power is becoming increasingly complex and decisive for European security.

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Villeurbanne mayor Cédric Van Styvendael in Armenia during his visit to the prisoner sponsored by the city and released.  Accompanied here by Patricia Tanielyan and Pascale Gostanian from LIBERTAS collective.

The lengthy sham trial held in Baku showed that the Armenian prisoners of war had no connection, even indirect, with the testimony provided by Azerbaijani witnesses: the acts attributed to the Armenians on trial were not proven, Siranush Sahakyan, a lawyer representing the prisoners before the European Court of Human Rights, told Radio Azatutyun (the Armenian service of Radio Liberty). “The testimonies were all identical in content, and all the witnesses confirmed that they did not personally know the Armenians on trial and had never had any dealings with them. This is a key finding: it shows that the so-called evidence establishes no objective link with the acts alleged and in no way constitutes a credible reconstruction of events,” Sahakyan explained. The trial of former Artsakh political and military leaders and other Armenian prisoners is now closed. According to Azerbaijani state media, closing arguments will be delivered next week. "We are faced with abstract accusations; no link could be established between the alleged facts and the defendants, nor between the victims and the events. “ The hearings took place without the presence of independent media or representatives of international organizations. The only source of information on the trial remains the state news agency AzerTac. According to Siranush Sahakyan, the entire trial was nothing more than a sham: ”Both the closing arguments and the verdicts are written in advance. There is no doubt that the sentences will be condemnatory and extremely severe, since this is all a political order." Another indication of the fictitious nature of the trial is the fact that the prosecution requested only two days for closing arguments, whereas a trial of this magnitude would require several weeks. The lawyer expects the verdicts to be handed down by the end of the year. “The challenge now is to have these violations recognized and to obtain an appropriate international response, particularly in the form of judicial decisions. The goal is to have these illegal judgments overturned through international legal mechanisms; the only possible course of action is to challenge these proceedings before supranational courts so that they officially recognize their illegitimacy.” When asked about the possibility that the Pashinyan government, which is engaged in a peace process with Azerbaijan, might refer these cases to international bodies to denounce the violation of the right to a fair trial, Sahakyan replied: "If developments occur, such as the possible withdrawal of inter-state complaints, the families will have to organize themselves and finance their own defense in order to assert their rights. " Ruben Vardanyan's trial is also coming to an end. The trial of former Artsakh senior official Ruben Vardanyan is continuing in Baku. According to Siranush Sahakyan, it will reach its final stage in the coming weeks. Vardanyan is the only Armenian prisoner who has been able to hire an Azerbaijani lawyer at his own expense. However, ten days ago, he publicly dismissed the lawyer, calling the trial a “farce” and denouncing the deprivation of his right to defense. The former Artsakh Minister of State also has an American lawyer, but the authorities are refusing to allow him to enter Azerbaijani territory. Armenian prisoners are deprived of any independent defense and access to representatives of international organizations. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the only channel of contact with them, has also been prevented from carrying out its mission in Baku. “November 4 is the deadline set for Azerbaijan to submit a report to the European Court of Human Rights on the conditions of detention and other circumstances concerning the prisoners. We are therefore waiting for this deadline to expire so that we can examine the documents provided and draw the necessary conclusions,” the lawyer said. 23 Armenian prisoners still detained in Baku Twenty-three Armenian prisoners of war are currently being held in Baku prison, charged under particularly serious articles of the Azerbaijani criminal code. Armenian officials say they are “doing everything” to secure their repatriation, but the issue was not included in the agreement signed on August 8 between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his meeting at the White House with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, US President Donald Trump promised to intervene with Ilham Aliyev on behalf of the “23 Christian prisoners.” However, since this statement, there has been no official information indicating that any steps have been taken.