During a discussion hosted by the Armenian National Committee of the United Kingdom on March 8, Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan delivered a special report on the urgency of the return of Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians being kept in Azerbaijan.

Among the participants of the discussion were UK Ambassador to Armenia John Gallagher, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Tim Loughton and others.

Tatoyan stated that the Azerbaijani authorities are artificially delaying and politicizing the return in order to cause mental suffering for the Armenian public and particularly the captives’ families and cause tension in Armenia.

Tatoyan thoroughly presented the international rules of humanitarianism and human rights that require the immediate release and safe return of captives. Moreover, presenting them as “terrorists” is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the rights of captives. He also talked about the war crimes and crimes against humanity (beheadings, tortures, disrespect towards bodies, etc.) committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces during the war that took place in September-November 2020.

Touching upon the process linked to Armenia’s borders, Tatoyan presented his new concept paper according to which there is a need for the creation of a demilitarized buffer zone in order to guarantee the security of people living in Syunik Province.