In recent days, there has been a marked increase in initiatives by French local government bodies aimed at the protection and release of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan.
Specifically, on December 17, the Paris City Council adopted a resolution demanding the protection and immediate release of Armenian captives arbitrarily held in Azerbaijan. The Paris municipal authorities officially reaffirmed their commitment to the people of Artsakh, the protection of human rights, and the adherence to international law.
The resolution recalls that following the Azerbaijani military operations launched in September 2020, as well as the fall of the Republic of Artsakh in September 2023, a group of Armenian political, military, and civilian figures were arrested and are currently undergoing trial in Baku. Furthermore, it references actions taken by the city since 2020, including the provision of humanitarian aid, political support, the granting of honorary citizenship to the people of Artsakh, and initiatives aimed at raising international awareness regarding the plight of forcibly displaced Armenians from Artsakh.
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On the same day, the city Nice expressed a similar stance. On the initiative of Mayor Christian Estrosi, portraits of twenty-three Armenian captives were displayed on the facade of the City Hall to draw public attention to their fate. In a statement published on social media, the Mayor of Nice characterized the prisoners from Artsakh as hostages and called on France and Europe to take decisive action against the Azerbaijani authorities.
These simultaneous initiatives in Paris and Nice are no coincidence; they signal a broader movement. Numerous French communities and local authorities have assumed a moral and political obligation. They are bringing the issue of Armenian captives to the forefront, particularly in the face of silence and inaction at the international political and diplomatic levels.
These initiatives demonstrate the collective resolve of a significant segment of French society and politicians to emphasize that arbitrary detention, trials conducted without due process, and the destruction of cultural heritage constitute flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights, deserving of condemnation regardless of geopolitical interests.
Artsakh Union
