U.S. Lawmakers Demand Release of Armenian POWs and Right of Return to Artsakh

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers and Armenian American advocates have called on Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of war and political hostages held in Baku. During a Capitol Hill program organized by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), advocates addressed the humanitarian consequences of the 2023 military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, which resulted in the displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from the region known as Artsakh.

Representative Brad Sherman, Vice Chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, noted that the House Foreign Affairs Committee previously adopted an amendment demanding the release of Armenian detainees. Representative Vince Fong highlighted that Azerbaijan continues to hold 19 Armenians, including former political and military leaders.

Advocates also pressed for the enforcement of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, the implementation of Global Magnitsky sanctions against Azerbaijani war criminals, and the protection of Armenian Christian heritage sites. The group is also seeking support for the Armenia Security Partnership Act and the Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act to ensure the safe and protected return of the indigenous population to Artsakh.