Renowned international criminal law expert Luis Moreno Ocampo has issued a public statement urging Armenians worldwide to mobilize for the release of Armenian captives held in Baku. He argued that the time is ripe to press for their freedom.
Ocampo stated that if Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev genuinely wants to support U.S. President Donald Trump’s potential nomination for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, he should begin by releasing all Armenian detainees.
“This is your moment, diaspora Armenians,” said Ocampo, noting that the nomination period for the Nobel Peace Prize ends on January 31, 2026, and that over 45 Armenians globally may be eligible to submit nominations.
Ocampo listed three steps Aliyev should take:
- Release all Armenian hostages held in Baku
- Sign a peace agreement with Armenia and withdraw troops
- Accept international protection for the rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
He called for coordinated action under the hashtags: #NobelPeacePrize, #FreeArmenianHostages, and #RespectNagornoKarabakhRights.
In September 2023, after a nine-month blockade and the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenian population, Azerbaijan captured several former leaders of Artsakh, including Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan. Many face fabricated charges that could lead to life sentences. The show trial in Baku began on January 17, 2025.
