At a panel hosted at the @Europarl_EN in Brussels, Joel Veldkamp advocated for the release of 20 Armenian men held hostage by Azerbaijan.
Among the captives are eight current and former elected officials from the Republic of Artsakh ( #NagornoKarabakh), including former Foreign Minister David Babayan and several former presidents.
Veldkamp argued that these individuals face preposterous charges following a severe nine-month blockade and military invasion in September 2023 that resulted in the complete ethnic cleansing of the region’s native Chirsitan population, as well as the destruction of churches and other cultural heritage.
The European Union’s ongoing silence regarding the hostages is a tacit acceptance of Azerbaijan’s actions, legitimizing military force and ethnic cleansing over international law.
Mr. Veldkamp warned that Europe’s passive stance is empowering a Turkish-Azerbaijani military alliance, allowing Turkey to expand its hegemony over a strategically vital region.
As Turkey gains increasing leverage over regional trade routes, a weakened Armenia loses its capacity to act.
Read on:
👉 csi-int.org/news/statement-a…
#HumanRights— https://x.com/CSI_humanrights/status/2078190000533835982