19:13, 13 October, 2021

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Acting Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Knapen responded to the written questions addressed to him by MP Dutch Derk jan Eppink on August 6, which are about the Armenian POWs and civilian detainees, as well as the Azerbaijani judges and prosecutors involved in the court decisions over Azerbaijani opposition figures.

ARMENPRESS reports the Minister confirmed the cases of illegal imprisonment of Armenian POWs and other detainees by Azerbaijani courts. Moreover, Ben Knapen noted that he is aware that those same judges and prosecutors are included in the black list of the Azerbaijani opposition NGOs.

Continuing the same topic, the Minister recalled the commitments of Azerbaijan under a number of international agreements, which provide for the norms of treatment with detainees, the conditions of their detention, and citied various sources, according to which Azerbaijani prisons do not meet international standards.

Answering the question about the trials of Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan, Ben Knapen noted that, in general, the independent trial and the rule of law in that country are in question, as evidenced by the low indicators given to Azerbaijan by Freedom House.

In his letter, the Minister stressed the need for the immediate release of Armenian captives, citing EU statements.

The Minister responded to the MP's question on the application of additional pressure by the Netherlands, noting that, like his predecessors, he will make efforts to keep the issue of prisoners on the EU agenda in order to make progress in this direction.