Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan briefed French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacote on the issues of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan and border demarcation.

Arman Tatoyan first raised issues related to the rights of Armenian servicemen and civilians held captive in Azerbaijan and their immediate return. He stressed that the return or release of prisoners should be considered exclusively in the context of human rights or humanitarian processes, as an international requirement for automatic action.

The Ombudsman said the Azerbaijani authorities are artificially delaying the return of Armenian prisoners of war.

The Human Rights Defender also referred to the process of determining or clarifying Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan, noting that it is accompanied by gross violations of the rule of law and human rights.

“One of the main factors is that this process is taking place against the background of obvious threats of war by Azerbaijan against the population of Armenia, as well as rhetoric of genocide,” Tatoyan said, adding that Armenophobia and incitement of hostility also keep growing in Azerbaijan.

Therefore, he said, the process is illegitimate and needs to be stopped or revised immediately.

Moreover, Tatoyan said, the demarcation of borders with the described approaches will not only fail to contribute to the peaceful coexistence of the peoples in the region, but will also create fertile ground for the unceasing hatred and enmity for Armenians in Azerbaijan and its dangerous manifestations.

Other human rights issues were also discussed during the meeting.