Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan reaffirmed that the return of Armenian captives remains a top priority, expressing hope for further progress in upcoming developments.
Speaking at a government briefing, Galyan stressed that peace is determined by the people: “Peace has a price. Whether to pay it or not is a decision of the people. We are guided by the peace agenda, and this agenda is dictated by the people themselves,” she told 1lurer.am .
On prisoners of war and detainees, the minister said most individuals in such status had already been returned through Armenia’s efforts. “I am hopeful that future developments will lead to the return of those who are still outside our state’s territory,” she added.
In September 2023, after a nine-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and the ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population, Azerbaijan captured former Artsakh leaders including Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Ruben Vardanyan, Davit Babayan, and others. They face fabricated charges that could result in life sentences. Their show trial began in Baku on January 17.
