Bishop Hovakim Manoukian, at opening of Week of Prayer for Christian  Unity in Dublin, recalls Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan

ArmInfo.  Bishop Hovakim Manoukian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland, commemorated the Armenian prisoners of war held in Baku during the opening ceremony of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Dublin.

According to the press service of the Free Armenian Hostages  initiative, the ceremony was attended by leaders of 12 Christian  denominations who prayed for peace, justice, and those affected by  the war. Bishop Manoukian called on Christians to unite and fight for  justice. He reminded those present of the ongoing suffering of the  Armenian people, particularly the forced displacement of the entire  Artsakh population as a result of Azerbaijani aggression and the  Armenian prisoners held in Baku.

"Unity begins with action. Let us pray for the prisoners, stand for  justice, and follow the counsel of the Gospel," the bishop remarked.  Let us recall that on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan, under the  pretext of an "anti-terrorist operation," initiated a large-scale  aggression against Artsakh, which led to the complete de-  Armenization of the NKR. This was preceded by a nearly 10-month  blockade of the unrecognized republic.  Since the enemy aggression  that began in the fall of 2020, which in September 2023 culminated in  the complete ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, over 150,000 Artsakh  residents have lost their homeland and become refugees.

At least nineteen Armenian prisoners of war remain illegally detained  in Azerbaijan, where they continue to be subjected to torture and  abuse. These include eight former officials of Nagorno-Karabakh:  former State Minister (2022-2023) Ruben Vardanyan; former President  (2020-2023) Arayik Harutyunyan; Former President (2007-2020) Bako  Sahakyan; Former President (1997-2007) Arkady Ghukasyan; Speaker of  the National Assembly Davit Ishkhanyan; Former Foreign Minister Davit  Babayan; Former Defense Minister Levon Mnatsakanyan and Former Deputy  Defense Minister Davit Manukyan.