Berlin, March 10, 2025 – Human rights organizations, activists, and concerned citizens gathered today at the Brandenburg Gate to demand the immediate release of Armenian political prisoners unlawfully detained in Azerbaijan. The protest, organized by the Zentralrat der Armenier in Deutschland e.V., the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV), Theophanu Club Germany, Working Group Recognition – Against Genocide, for International Understanding e.V., IGFM Internationale Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte e.V., Deutschland, and Free Armenian Hostages civic movement, called on European leaders to take urgent action against Azerbaijan’s continued human rights violations.
Prominent human rights activists, including Jonathan Spangenberg, Chairman of ZAD, addressed the crowd, emphasizing the systematic persecution of Armenians and Azerbaijan’s use of political prisoners as bargaining tools in negotiations. “The detainees, including Ruben Vardanyan, are enduring inhumane conditions, with reports of torture and mistreatment. Vardanyan is currently on a hunger strike, and his life is at grave risk. We cannot stay silent,” declared Spangenberg.
The protestors stressed that Azerbaijan’s actions violate international law, including the UN Genocide Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. The demonstrators urged the European Union, Germany, and France to implement the following measures:
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• Sanctions Against Azerbaijani Officials – Targeted sanctions on individuals and institutions responsible for the unlawful detention and mistreatment of Armenian prisoners.
• International Monitoring of Prison Conditions – Pressure Azerbaijan to allow the UN Committee Against Torture and the International Red Cross to assess the prisoners’ treatment.
• Immediate Release of All Armenian Detainees – Demand Azerbaijan comply with international human rights obligations and release political prisoners without conditions.
• Preservation of Armenian Cultural Heritage – Investigate and prevent further destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites in occupied Artsakh.
• Ensuring Safe Return for Displaced Armenians – Advocate for international protection mechanisms allowing Armenians to return to their homeland.
Speakers at the protest condemned European inaction, with Spangenberg referencing Germany’s historical responsibility to prevent genocide and protect vulnerable communities. He criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s failure to take decisive action and called for a formal petition to the International Criminal Court against Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
This protest follows ongoing diplomatic appeals by human rights organizations to the European Commission and the French government. Despite repeated warnings from the UN about the risk of genocide, meaningful international action remains absent.
The coalition of human rights organizations plans further demonstrations across Europe and will submit an official petition to the European Parliament urging immediate sanctions against Azerbaijan. Protest organizers also called on European citizens to raise awareness and pressure their governments to act against these gross human rights violations.
“The world must not turn a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s crimes,” said Sarah Reinke, Head of Human Rights at GfbV. “The time for words is over; we need action now.”
Photos by: IG @voleemor
