“The former Presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasyan, former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, former Chairman of the National Assembly David Ishkhanyan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs David Babayan, former Minister of Defence Levon Mnatsakanyan, who are being held in Baku, are the legitimate representatives of the people striving for self-determination in conformity with international law. Have the world powers been negotiating with terrorists and criminals all these years, as Azerbaijan is saying now? Absolutely not.

These leaders are comparable with such figures as Ibrahim Rugova from Kosovo or José Ramos-Horta from East Timor. Their detention is a political stunt to force to pass over in silence the Armenian issue, which is a serious violation of international law and a challenge to the legitimacy of the global diplomatic process.

The world community, especially such state actors as the United States, must demand that Azerbaijan release the Armenian prisoners of war and political leaders held illegally.”