Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has sent a letter to US Vice President JD Vance, calling for assistance in the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

In his letter, the Catholicos recalled the norms of international law that provide for the release of prisoners of war and the need to preserve spiritual and cultural values.

“In a special letter addressed to the Vice President of the United States James David Vance a few days ago, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I brought to his attention the issues of the release of the Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] leaders and Armenian prisoners of war imprisoned in Baku, as well as the safe preservation of the [Armenian] spiritual and cultural monuments of Artsakh, appealing for his personal intervention.

In the aforementioned letter, His Holiness the Catholicos also recalled that international law clearly emphasizes the importance of both the release of prisoners of war and the protection of spiritual and cultural monuments.

Let us inform that the letter of His Holiness the Catholicos is already on the [US] Vice President’s desk. He will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan alternately next week,” the Great House of Cilicia noted in a statement.