Armenian prisoners of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War

Renewed hostilities between Azerbaijan and Artsakh together with Armenia began on 27 September 2020. Many territories passed under the control of Azerbaijan during the following six weeks which culminated in the capture of the strategically important town Shusha (known also as Shushi) and prompted the two sides to agree to a ceasefire agreement on 9November 2020. According to the agreement, both belligerent parties agreed to exchange prisoners of war and the dead. == Abuse and torture ==

On 19 March 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that Azerbaijani Armed Forces abused Armenian POWs of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. Human Rights Watch called on the Azerbaijani authorities to investigate the cases of ill-treatment and bring those responsible to justice. The organization also called on the Azerbaijani side to "immediately release all remaining POWs" and detained civilians and "provide information on the whereabouts" of military personnel and civilians whose status is unknown. Human Rights Watch also examined more than 20 videos posted on social media of scenes in which Azerbaijani officers clearly mistreat Armenian POWs. Najarian was released on 10 March 2021, through mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Videos depicting abuse There are hundreds of videos that depict abuses against Armenian prisoners online, both military and civilian, 35 of whom have been identified through video evidence as of 15 December 2021. == Execution ==

Hadrut Execution On 15 October 2020, a video surfaced of two captured Armenians being executed by Azerbaijani soldiers; Bellingcat analysed the videos and concluded that the footage was real and that both executed were Armenian combatants captured by Azerbaijani forces between 9 and 15 October 2020 and later executed. The U.N. human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, stated that "in-depth investigations by media organisations into videos that appeared to show Azerbaijani troops summarily executing two captured Armenians in military uniforms uncovered compelling and deeply disturbing information". Others On 10 December, Amnesty International released a report on videos depicting war crimes. In some of these videos, Azerbaijani soldiers were seen decapitating an Armenian soldier as he was alive. In another video, the victim is an older man in civilian clothes who gets his throat cut before the video abruptly ends. Beheadings of two elderly ethnic Armenian Civilians by Azerbaijani armed forces have been identified by The Guardian. == Repatriation after the war ==

in February 2021. The photo was published by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. In December 2020, Armenia and Azerbaijan have begun exchanging groups of prisoners of war mediated by Russia. As of February 2022, 150 prisoners, including civilians, returned to Armenia and Artsakh. == Reactions ==

Armenia and Artsakh According to Armenian authorities, as of April 2021, over 200 Armenian POWs were held captive by Azerbaijan. Armenian diaspora On 14 April 2021, a global campaign was launched among the Armenian diaspora to demand the release of Armenian POWs and other detainees held in Azerbaijan. Protests were held in 14 cities around the world, including Toronto, Paris, Rome, Houston, Sacramento, Montréal, New York, Los Angeles, Warsaw, Berlin, Hamburg and Moscow. Azerbaijan In Azerbaijan, the detainees are not considered POWs, they are instead accused of various crimes allegedly committed after the ceasefire agreement was signed. International Countries • : On 31 August 2021, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian prisoners of war without any additional conditions. • : On 22 September 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment that demanded Azerbaijan's immediate release of about 200 Armenian POWs, hostages and detained persons, drawing attention to Azerbaijan "misrepresenting their status in an attempt to justify their continued captivity". • : On 7 May 2021, Global Affairs Canada, the department of the Government of Canada, welcomed release of Armenian detainees and "continues to call for the release of all detainees”. • : On 28 May 2021, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners of war. • : On 11 May 2021, Spanish Members of Parliament and Senators demanded the release Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan. • : On 27 February 2021, the Dutch Parliament adopted two motions, that also addresses the issue of Armenian POWs still being held in Azerbaijan and called for the release and repatriation of the POWs. OSCE Minsk Group • On 13 April 2021, the OSCE Minsk Group, responsible for mediating the peace process in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since 1992, stated that "additional efforts are required to resolve remaining areas of concern and to create an atmosphere of mutual trust conducive to long-lasting peace", including the return of all POWs and other detainees in accordance with the provisions of international humanitarian law. European parliament On 20 May 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution urging Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all the Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during or after the conflict. OHCHR On 1 February 2021, UN human rights experts called on both sides for the prompt release of POWs and other captives. They were also concerned by allegations that POWs and other protected persons have been subjected to extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment. Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General of the Organization of American States Luis Almagro has called for the release of all Armenian prisoners of war. Freedom House On 11 May 2021, the human rights organization Freedom House stated it was "deeply concerned by the reports of dehumanizing treatment and abuse, including torture, of Armenians captured and detained by Azerbaijan after the recent armed conflict". == See also ==