Azerbaijani media outlet APA has responded to reports about Vicken Euljekjian, who is held in a Baku prison, presumably announcing a hunger strike.
As reported by Pastinfo, the Azerbaijani source claimed that Euljekjian, sentenced to 20 years in prison, is not on a hunger strike. However, notably, this claim is not based on any official government statement, but rather on what it calls “reliable sources.”
Speaking to Pastinfo, Euljekjian’s Argentina-based lawyer, Luciana Minassian, welcomed the Azerbaijani media's reaction, noting that the reports had reached the target audience. However, she emphasized that such information cannot be considered credible without clear sources.
“They have no grounds to make that claim. Therefore, we are asking the Azerbaijani Ombudsman to visit Vicken. We also ask that APA News Azerbaijan visit him in prison and interview him. Furthermore, we ask that Vigen be immediately allowed to call his wife, Linda, and his family. We have reason to believe his life is in danger,” she stated.
Vicken Euljekjian, 46, holds both Armenian and Lebanese citizenship. He was captured by Azerbaijani armed forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 10, 2020, one day after the ceasefire agreement. He is considered one of six civilian hostages held in Azerbaijani prisons.
Euljekjian has gone on hunger strike several times to protest violations of his rights. In 2023, he went on a 24-day hunger strike after being forbidden to speak Arabic with his wife and forced to use Armenian, a language she does not understand.
In May 2024, he began another hunger strike to protest being denied all contact with his wife. Following that protest, he was permitted one phone call per month. In June, it was reported that the most recent call took place with the intervention of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
