The United States Department of State has had "multiple, substantive conversations with Baku" calling for the release of all Armenian prisoners of war, Representative Brad Sherman said in a Twitter thread on Thursday, March 18.
Sherman said he spoke with Assistant Secretary of State Philip T. Reeker regarding Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan.
"Azerbaijan is in violation of the ceasefire agreement by not having released all POWs," Sherman wrote.
"I am glad to hear the State [Department] has had multiple, substantive conversations with Baku calling for the release of all POWs. It seems to be that Baku gave POWs access to ICRC in response to U.S. efforts. I will continue to work with the State Department to release all POWs.
Several dozen Armenian POWs have returned from Azerbaijan so far, although Armenian officials say many more people were being held in Baku. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claims, however, that persons being kept in Baku are not prisoners of war but “terrorists and saboteurs”. Officials and human rights lawyers from the Armenian side says, however, that hundreds of POWs and civilians captured both during and after the hostilities are still being kept hostage in Azerbaijan.
