Since there are many inquiries about the captives, I would like to clarify a few points. Artak Beglaryan, the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), wrote about this on Facebook.

 “1. Definitely, their return should be one of the priorities of state bodies. But it is necessary to separate the authorized bodies from the supporting bodies, as well as the subjective problems from the objective difficulties. (…).

2. As a supporting body, the AR [Artsakh Republic] Human Rights Defender is providing maximum assistance to state and international organizations in carrying out their functions. (…).

3. (…) we must not forget that first and foremost, the process depends on the Azerbaijani side, as the captives are under their control.

4. We are actively cooperating with the RA [Republic of Armenia] Human Rights Defender, too, (…)," Beglaryan added, in particular.

On November 9, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities— which Azerbaijan had launched on September 27—in and around Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Accordingly, Russian peacekeepers are deployed in the region to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities. But this statement also stipulates the handover of part of Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan.