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Freedom House has urged Azerbaijan to allow the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to investigate reports of torture of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs).

“We are deeply concerned by the reports of dehumanizing treatment and abuse, including torture, of Armenians captured and detained by Azerbaijan after the recent armed conflict,” said Marc Behrendt, director of Europe and Eurasia programs at Freedom House, in response to reports of abuse of Armenian POWs and civilian captives.

“We urge the Azerbaijani authorities to fully cooperate with the efforts of the European Court of Human Rights to investigate the validity of reports of dehumanizing treatment of Armenian detainees regardless of their status and ensure those still in custody are provided with all protections required under international human rights and humanitarian law, including freedom from torture and inhuman treatment, and that details of their repatriation are provided. As a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights, Azerbaijan is obligated to fully cooperate with the court and provide all requested information to facilitate a transparent investigation of these serious issues.”

The fate of nearly 200 Armenians in Azerbaijani custody remains unclear amid reports of abuse and humiliation, months after their return was mandated in a ceasefire ending the war in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).