LIBERTAS welcomes the question posed to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs by Representative Christelle d’Intorni regarding the Armenian hostages and thanks her for her commitment. The MP for Alpes-Maritimes submitted a written question* to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs on April 14 regarding the situation of Armenian state hostages detained in Azerbaijan, in which she highlights: the arrest of Armenian political, military, and civilian officials following the events of September 2023 humanitarian and international concerns the need to ensure respect for international humanitarian law , access to legal assistance, and independent monitoring mechanisms. Libertas reminds that Azerbaijan has been holding 20 Armenian hostages since 2020. The 20th is Karen Avanesyan, a sick man who remained in Stepanakert after the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in 2023 and was arrested in September 2025 on absurd pretexts. He must not be forgotten. LIBERTAS calls on the French government: To officially support the appeal by 36 Members of the European Parliament to Kaja Kallas for targeted sanctions against those responsible for arbitrary detentions in Azerbaijan To demand that the Azerbaijani authorities allow the ICRC to return to Baku without delay To work toward the immediate release of the 20 Armenian hostages, as well as the notification of verdicts in a language understood by each detainee To ensure that fundamental rights and international humanitarian law are respected Time does not erase crimes. France must stand up for human rights and the rule of law. *Link to Written Question No. 14330 (in French) ։ https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/questions/QANR5L17QE14330.pdf

In response to the abandonment of Armenian prisoners arbitrarily detained in Baku (no access to the ICRC, no notification of verdicts, total isolation), their relatives have appealed to the Armenian and Swiss authorities and the ICRC. They are asking Switzerland to assume the role of “Protecting Power,” a mechanism provided for by the Geneva Conventions to ensure respect for the rights of detainees during times of conflict. LIBERTAS supports this request. International humanitarian law must not remain a dead letter. Link to the article : https://iclaw.am/media/announcement/5/details

Karen Avanesyan

LIBERTAS condemns Azerbaijan’s violations of Ruben Vardanyan’s rights and calls for his immediate release, as well as that of the other hostages from Armenian states.

LIBERTAS welcomes and supports the call* by 36 Members of the European Parliament addressed to Kaja Kallas: it is time to apply European resolutions in response to Azerbaijan’s violations of the law. The 36 deputies , from all political groups, in a letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, essentially demand : • The activation of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime for human rights violations in Azerbaijan, • The suspension of energy cooperation as long as Baku fails to meet its commitments, • Restrictive measures against those responsible for arbitrary detentions and unfair trials . LIBERTAS endorses these demands and is convinced that Europe’s firmness will notably contribute to the release of the 20 Armenian hostages who are languishing in Baku’s prisons without a fair trial, without access to the ICRC, and without being notified of their verdict. LIBERTAS encourages European citizens to read the letter* and resolutions** in question and to contact their national and European elected representatives to demand that these sanctions finally be implemented, and to massively share this call . * Call of the 36 deputies: https://cba5a4cc-f0e0-4fc4-8ca4-28ca80f25e0f.usrfiles.com ... ** European resolutions and regulations mentioned in the letter: Resolution adopted on 30 October 2025 by the Political Committee of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/.../Resolution%20on%20the ... (extract from Article 16: “the need to resolve the outstanding issues of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan and displaced Armenians from the former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region”) Resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 18 December 2025 entitled “The detention of opposition figures in Azerbaijan” – procedure 2025/2596(RSP): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/.../violations-des-droits ... Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2588 of 15 December 2025: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/2588/oj/eng LIBERTAS  Press Release (in French) "L’Europe doit enfin sanctionner l’Azerbaïdjan" : https://cba5a4cc-f0e0-4fc4-8ca4-28ca80f25e0f.usrfiles.com/ugd/cba5a4_86a45f48ef1a4a4fbe78f741e4e31acb.pdf

Voting results: 183 for / against 0 from 3:35:40, Laurent Wauquiez 's speech, followed by speeches from other group representatives from 4:31:15, speech by Jean Noël Barrot , Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs

The 4 demands of the transpartisan resolution No. 2265 presented by Laurent Wauquiez on behalf of 46 MPs: 1. Reiterates its support for the Armenian people of Artsakh who have been forcibly expelled from their ancestral homeland; 2. Reiterates that respect for the right of peoples to self-determination must apply to the Armenian populations of Artsakh and that it is the duty of the international community to demand that Azerbaijan do everything in its power to guarantee the right of return of the Armenian populations to Artsakh in conditions that ensure their safety; 3. Condemns the arbitrary imprisonment and trial of political leaders of the Republic of Artsakh and calls for their immediate and unconditional release ; 4. Calls on the Government to demand that the Republic of Azerbaijan release the Armenian prisoners it is holding without delay .