Armenian politician calls on authorities to follow example of West, Russia in prisoner exchange

ArmInfo. Former Ambassador-at-Large, leader of the "Bright Armenia" party Edmon Marukyan calls on the RA authorities and diplomatic representatives of the country to take advantage of the example of Russia and the West in the exchange of prisoners to release from Baku all Armenian prisoners and representatives of the military-political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh.

On Thursday, August 1, an unprecedented prisoner exchange took place, in which 7 countries participated, and as a result, 26 people were released. The historic exchange took place at Ankara Airport. According to the Turkish TV channel TRT Haber, a total of 7 aircraft took part in the operation, carried out through the mediation of Turkish intelligence MIT. Two of them flew to Turkey from the USA, one each from Germany, Poland, Slovenia and Russia. 13 people were transported to Germany, 3 to the USA and 10 to Russia. The vast majority of them are citizens of the Russian Federation.

"It is noteworthy that the West, being in a state of war with the Russian Federation, is using all negotiating opportunities to free citizens of various countries held in Russian prisons. The same Western countries declare every day that they support the conclusion of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Marukyan noted on the social network.

In this regard, the politician asks whether the Armenian authorities are raising the issue of releasing political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, citizens of Armenia, held in Azerbaijan? The Armenian authorities claim that they are working in this direction every day. Are Western countries, who want peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, trying to release Armenian prisoners of conscience from the prisons of Azerbaijan, with which they have strategic cooperation and, unlike Russia, the West and Azerbaijan are not fighting against each other?" he added.

"Democratically elected former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh were recognized by the OSCE Minsk Group, which means they have a higher status and a greater chance of being released in this way. We just need someone who will take on this, we need to work in this direction, and what happened today is an excellent example," Edmon Marukyan is convinced.