The Armenian National Committee - International has published a dossier titled “The Armenian Hostages: POWs, Civilians and Political Prisoners Still Held by Azerbaijan,” dated October 29, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The dossier presents the situation of the 20 Armenians whom Azerbaijan continues to hold more than three years after the forcible displacement of the Armenian population of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

The aforesaid 20 include former political and military leaders of Artsakh, civilians, and prisoners of war (POWs). Two of them have been held since the 2020 war. All have been convicted and are serving sentences ranging from 15 years to life in prison.

The dossier describes how each of them came to be in Azerbaijani captivity, and contains information about each of them.

The dossier records that:

• trials in an Azerbaijani military court—mostly closed to observers—and the verdicts have not been fully disclosed to the defense.

• no visit to these Armenian prisoners by the International Committee of the Red Cross has taken place since December 2025.

• the report of the Council of Europe committee for the prevention of torture remains unpublished, as Azerbaijan does not consent.

• applications are still under consideration at the European Court of Human Rights.

• reactions from parliaments, governments, and human rights organizations, as well as information about unsuccessful attempts to organize visits through third countries.

“To date, releases have only occurred within the framework of political deals,” the Armenian National Committee - International notes. “They are hostages and must be released immediately and unconditionally, without exchanges or political concessions.”

Prior to their release, the dossier demands:

• regular independent humanitarian access and medical assessment.

• unhindered contact with families and lawyers.

• publication of the report of the committee for the prevention of torture.

• full implementation of the requirements of the European Court.

• effective investigation into the fate of at least 80 Armenians who were captured in 2020 and are still missing.

The dossier complements the Armenian National Committee – International’s special report titled "'Justice' According to Azerbaijan: The Prosecution, Trial and Conviction of Ruben Vardanyan," which analyzes the indictment and verdict published in the case against Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Artsakh.