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Pashinyan expects peace deal with Baku to help resolve issue of detained persons

The Armenian authorities assert that Azerbaijan continues to detain dozens of prisoners of war

YEREVAN, March 5. /TASS/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed hope that the ongoing negotiations for a peace agreement with Azerbaijan will help resolve the issue of detained individuals.

"The efforts being made toward signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan are among those actions that, alongside statements, are likely to contribute to addressing the problem you have raised. We remain committed to the peace agenda, as we believe that a peaceful atmosphere can facilitate the resolution of this issue," Pashinyan stated in parliament.

The Armenian authorities assert that Azerbaijan continues to detain dozens of prisoners of war, as well as civilians arrested along the Armenian border and in Nagorno-Karabakh, including former presidents and senior officials of the former republic. Meanwhile, the opposition has accused Pashinyan's administration of inaction.

On September 19, 2023, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated once again. Samvel Shakhramanyan, the head of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, issued a decree on September 28 to terminate its existence as of January 1, 2024. Several members of the military-political leadership of the former NKR have been detained by Azerbaijani authorities and face charges in Baku, including the establishment of armed groups not permitted by law.