432-01106 (Foreign affairs)

We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:

Whereas, Following Azerbaijan's 44-day war against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorono-Karabakh), a trilateral ceasefire agreement was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia - outside of the purview of the OSCE Minsk Group - ceasing all hostilities on the territory of the Republic of Artsakh.

Whereas, while failing to address many challenges facing the region, the agreement specifically included a term relating to the return of prisoners of war and the exchange of the remains of fatalities.

Whereas, despite such provisions, as many as 200 Armenian Prisoners of War (POW) illegally remain in Azerbaijani custody, without any transparent mechanisms in place to ensure their safe return.

Whereas, since December 2020, Human Rights Watch has published two reports on the status of Armenian POW’s, confirming that they are being subjected to inhuman treatment, torture, humiliation, and other forms of abuse.

Whereas, on February 1st, 2021, The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement, calling for the immediate release of POW’s.

Whereas, on May 4, 2021, disturbing reports confirmed that close to 20 POW’s were mutilated and killed by Azerbaijani forces. This is a violation of international law by Azerbaijan, specifically as it relates to the provisions laid out in the Third Geneva Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), all of which are signed by Azerbaijan.

We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Condemn Azerbaijan's illegal detention of Armenian POW’s and call for their immediate release;

2. Use all the diplomatic tools available to advocate for the release of those held captive;

3. Condemn the ongoing state-sponsored anti-Armenian hatred in Azerbaijan;

4. Denounce all aggressive rhetoric from Turkey and Azerbaijan against Armenia and Artsakh;

5. Provide the necessary humanitarian assistance to ensure the safety and viability of the population of Artsakh and facilitate the exchange of the remains of fatalities.