ANCA calls for expanded U.S. efforts to end Azerbaijan`s hostage  diplomacy

ArmInfo. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is calling for increased U.S. efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of at least 19 Armenian prisoners of war who remain in Azerbaijan's unlawful  detention, following today's release of four Armenian hostages in  exchange for two convicted Syrian mercenaries.  

"Today's hostage swap demonstrates Azerbaijan's continued use of  hostage diplomacy to extract political concessions from Armenia. At  least 19 Armenians remain captive in Azerbaijan, where they continue  to face torture and abuse, are denied their fundamental legal rights,  and are subjected to sham trials based on their Armenian identity.  Azerbaijan must not be granted cover or impunity for its ongoing  detention and abuse of Armenian prisoners," noted the ANCA in a  statement issued earlier today. "The ANCA calls on the Trump  Administration to expand efforts to secure the immediate and  unconditional release of all remaining Armenian prisoners, and urges  Congress to pass the ARMENIA Security Partnership Act (H.R.6840) and  the Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act (H.R.5369) to hold Azerbaijan  accountable for its war crimes and human rights violations." 

On January 14th, 2026, Azerbaijan released four unlawfully detained  Armenian prisoners of war in exchange for two Syrian mercenaries  captured while fighting for Azerbaijan in the 2020 Turkey and  Azerbaijan war against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh).  

The four Armenian prisoners - Vagif Khachatryan, Vigen Euljekjian,  Gevorg Sujyan, and Davit Davtyan - were non-combatants held  unlawfully by Azerbaijan, and faced up to 15 years in prison on  politically motivated charges.  

Vagif Khachatryan had been detained since 2023, after being abducted  by Azerbaijani forces during an ICRC medical evacuation from  Nagorno-Karabakh. Vigen Euljekjian, a Lebanese national, had been in  Azerbaijan's detention since 2020, captured following the 2020  ceasefire while transiting through the Lachin Corridor. Gevorg Sujyan  and Davit Davtyan were captured by Azerbaijani forces a day after the  ceasefire agreement that ended the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War was  signed. Both were non-combatants and founders of a charitable NGO.    In exchange, Armenia released two Syrian mercenaries - Muhrab  Muhammad al-Shkheri and Yusef Alabed al-Hajin - who were captured by  Armenian forces in November 2020.  Both men admitted to serving as  mercenaries during their trial and were sentenced to life  imprisonment by an Armenian court in 2021. The mercenaries testified  that they were ordered to spare no one's life, and given explicit  instructions and material reward for beheading Armenian captives.     In 2020, Turkey recruited and deployed over 2,000 mercenaries from  northern Syria to fight for Azerbaijan during the 2020  Nagorno-Karabakh War. Many mercenaries had documented ties with  terror groups, including ISIS.  

At least nineteen Armenian prisoners of war remain in Azerbaijan's  unlawful detention, where they continue to face torture and abuse.  This includes eight former Nagorno- Karabakh (Artsakh) officials:  Ruben Vardanyan, former State Minister (2022-2023); Arayik  Harutyunyan, former President (2020-2023); Bako Sahakyan, former  President (2007-2020); Arkadi Ghukasyan, former President  (1997-2007); Davit Ishkhanyan, Speaker of the National Assembly;  David Babayan, former Foreign Minister; Levon Mnatsakanyan, former  Minister of Defense; and Davit Manukyan, former Deputy Minister of  Defense.  

Armenian detainees continue to be denied their fundamental legal  rights, including access to legal counsel of their own choosing, and  subjected to sham trials where they face politicized charges on the  basis of their Armenian identity and their advocacy for the right to  self-determination of Artsakh's Armenians in the face of Azerbaijan's   aggression.  

In September 2025, the International Committee of the Red Cross  (ICRC) announced it had ended its operations in Azerbaijan at the  request of the country's government. The ICRC was the only entity  authorized to visit Armenian prisoners, and their expulsion gravely  endangers the well-being of detainees.  

Despite ongoing peace talks with Armenia, Azerbaijan has refused to  release Armenian detainees as part of a peace agreement. Azerbaijan  has also demanded that Armenia withdraw its international legal cases  against Azerbaijan as part of the peace agreement, which would close  vital legal avenues to pursue the release of remaining Armenian  detainees.    Under international law, and as ordered by the International Court of  Justice (ICJ), Azerbaijan is obliged to ensure the immediate and  unconditional release of all remaining Armenian prisoners, hostages,  and civilian captives.

Azerbaijan has a history of engaging in hostage diplomacy, prolonging  the detention of prisoners to use as bargaining chips to extract  concessions from Armenia. Azerbaijan also has a track record of using  the symbolic release of prisoners as cover for its unabated  repression and human rights abuses.  

The ANCA is urging the immediate passage of H.R.6840 - the ARMENIA  Security Partnership Act - a bipartisan bill that would strengthen  U.S.-Armenia security ties, and prohibit U.S. assistance to  Azerbaijan until it has taken steps to release unjustly detained  Armenian prisoners, withdraw its military forces from sovereign  Armenian territory, and recognize the fundamental right for  Nagorno-Karabakh's forcibly displaced Armenians to return to their  homes.  

Additionally, the ANCA is calling for the adoption of H.R.5369 - the  Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2025 - a bill that would direct  the Departments of State and Treasury to review the applicability of  targeted Global Magnitsky Act sanctions against Azerbaijani officials  responsible for war crimes perpetrated against Armenians during the  2020 Artsakh War and the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh in 2023.