“Suicide attempts have been recorded among Armenian prisoners held in Baku prisons,” Siranush Sahakyan, a defender of prisoners’ interests at the European Court, said today.
According to the human rights activist, the prisoners recently had a telephone conversation with their relatives, during which they learned about the suicide attempts. Without naming names, Sahakyan only reported that those who attempted to commit suicide were not among the military-political leadership of Artsakh, but among other prisoners.
“Unfortunately, I cannot say for sure… In other words, after the end of the Red Cross visits, such attempts took place and were repeated, which indicates a direct connection with the cessation of the Red Cross’ activities, isolation and human suffering,” the human rights activist emphasized.
The advocate for prisoners’ interests at the European Court is sounding the alarm: the prisoners have been in complete isolation for about two months, and no independent international organization has visited them. There is no information about their detention, health, or psychological state.
Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross last visited the Armenian prisoners in June. As of today, this international organization has finally ceased its activities in Baku at the request of the Azerbaijani authorities.
“There have been phone calls these days… days, and the families told us that thanks to these conversations, serious health problems and, of course, a grave psychological state have already become noticeable to them. Hopelessness is increasing,” Siranush Sahakyan emphasized.
About a month has passed since US President Donald Trump announced the release of 23 Armenian prisoners held in a Baku prison and the initialing of a peace agreement, but there has been no progress on this issue. Although the parties claim to have established peace, the suffering of 23 Armenian prisoners and their relatives in Baku prisons continues.
On August 8, during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House, Donald Trump personally promised to address the Azerbaijani president with the issue of 23 Christian prisoners. – “So, you say that there are 23 Christians there, I will ask him, I think he will do it for me.”
Did the US president appeal to the Azerbaijani president after this statement to release the Armenian prisoners held in Baku prisons, including the military-political leadership of Artsakh? There is no official information. It is also unclear whether any discussion took place between the officials of Azerbaijan and Armenia after this statement by Donald Trump.