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1. Urgent call for action: Free the Armenian prisoners illegally held in Azerbaijan
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The Armenian National Committee of the UK (ANC UK) calls on all Armenians and supporters of human rights to take action now.
As the world watches, Azerbaijan continues its illegal detention of Armenian prisoners of war, civilians, and political figures from the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). These individuals were abducted during Azerbaijan’s military aggression in 2023 and are now facing politically motivated sham trials. Some of these individuals were abducted during Azerbaijan’s military aggression in 2023 and are now facing politically motivated trials in the Baku Military Court. If convicted, they risk life imprisonment under fabricated charges. The prisoners in question include former political leaders of the now-defunct Nagorno-Karabakh republic, servicemen captured as prisoners of war during both the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and the 2023 ethnic cleansing, as well as civilians.
Among those illegally detained is Ruben Vardanyan, a philanthropist, humanitarian, and former State Minister of Artsakh, who, along with twenty two other prisoners, are standing trial from 17 January 2025. They are deprived of choosing their own lawyer to present them and given one by Azerbaijan. The trials are closed and no international observer or journalist are allowed to attend them. These trials are in blatant violation of international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The Armenian prisoners are not only unlawfully imprisoned but also hostages—Azerbaijan holds them captive as a means of exerting psychological terror on the Armenian population of Artsakh. Their detention serves as a tool of intimidation, aiming to suppress any hope of resistance and instil fear among those who have been forcibly displaced from their homeland. These developments are happening amid persisting propaganda of ethnic hatred against Armenians in Azerbaijani media.
The Armenian prisoners are subjected to:
- Unjust and politically motivated charges
- Systematic violations of due process
- Torture and inhumane treatment
- Denial of access to independent legal counsel
International human rights organisations, including Freedom House, Amnesty International, and the European Parliament, have condemned Azerbaijan’s actions as ethnic cleansing and a direct attack on fundamental human rights. The blockade and forced removal of Armenians from Artsakh have been recognised as crimes against humanity, and the continued detention of Armenian leaders is yet another step in Azerbaijan’s campaign of oppression.
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What Can You Do?
We urge all Armenians in the UK to take immediate action by:
- Sharing this message on social media using the hashtag #FreeArmenianHostages to raise awareness and pressure UK authorities to act.
- Contacting your local MP to demand that the UK government take a firm stance against Azerbaijan’s unlawful detentions and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners.
- Emailing the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) at fcdo.correspondence@fcdo.gov.uk and urging them to pressure Azerbaijan to comply with international law and release all Armenian prisoners.
- Writing to international human rights organisations, urging them to continue monitoring these trials and advocate for justice.
- Write to the Armenian Ambassador to the UK condemn the Armenian governments silence on this issue.
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Why Your Voice Matters
The UK government and international bodies have the power to influence Azerbaijan and demand compliance with human rights conventions. Your support can help bring international attention to this urgent issue and contribute to securing the release of innocent Armenian prisoners.
Together, We Can Make a Difference
Every voice counts. Speak up. Share. Act. The lives of these prisoners depend on our collective effort to demand justice.
https://ancuk.org.uk/freearmenianprisoners/
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| Ruben Vardanyan, Armenian businessman and philanthropist illegally imprisoned in Azerbaijan, has started a hunger strike on February 19 in protest against the sham trial staged by the Azerbaijani regime. His family has conveyed his message to the international community, denouncing severe violations of due process and human rights.
“This is my response to the blatant violations of Azerbaijani procedural law and international law. What is happening in the courtroom cannot be called a trial – this is a political show, in which my right to a fair hearing is being deliberately disregarded”, he said.
“This so-called ‘trial’ is not just against me. It is an attempt to criminalize all Armenians – all those who supported and demonstrated compassion toward Artsakh and its people, all those who showed compassion. This is an attack on an entire nation. I refuse to participate in this farce”.
You can follow his sham trial here: https://freearmenianprisoners.com/rubens-trial-latest-updates/ |
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| The message of Ruben Vardanyan’s son, David Vardanyan, as his health deteriorates while he is illegally imprisoned by the Azerbaijani regime.
Vardanyan has started a hunger strike on February 19 in protest against the sham trial staged by the Azerbaijani regime. “This so-called ‘trial’ is not just against me. It is an attempt to criminalize all Armenians – all those who supported and demonstrated compassion toward Artsakh and its people, all those who showed compassion. This is an attack on an entire nation”, said Vardanyan that day. |
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| A new report by the Center for Truth and Justice on February 19 exposes the inhumane treatment of Vicken Euljekjian, an Armenian civilian illegally sentenced to 20 years in prison in Azerbaijan.
Vicken Euljekjian is a 44-year-old Christian Armenian and a descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. He is a citizen of Lebanon and Armenia. In 2020, he relocated to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to establish a business and build a new life there with his family. Vicken is a devout Christian and has a tattoo of a cross on his hand, which was burnt by the Azerbaijani forces while being illegally held in their custody.
Vicken, a Christian Armenian, was kidnapped by Azerbaijani forces after the 2020 ceasefire, held incommunicado for seven months, and denied legal defense. His trial was a sham based on fabricated charges and was not allowed to communicate with family or counsel. Today, Vicken is serving an illegal sentence of 20 years in Gobustan Prison, known for its harsh conditions and high suicide rates. |
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| Sixteen Armenian hostages and prisoners of war (POWs) are currently facing trials that began on January 17 in the Baku Military Court in Azerbaijan. Maria Gevorgyan a legal researcher and lawyer with the Yerevan-based Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ), sat down with europeanconservative.com to discuss the situation.
“These proceedings are simply a mockery of justice. Seeking justice in Azerbaijan is futile for individuals of Armenian descent”, said Gevorgyan. “CFTJ’s investigations, including interviews with repatriated POWs and detainees, have documented that every interviewed POW reported enduring both physical and psychological torture, as well as inhumane treatment during captivity”.
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| The Armenian Society of the University of Bath recently organised a discussion on the ongoing situation of the Armenian prisoners and hostages held illegaly in Azerbaijan, raising awareness about this critical human rights issue. The event aimed to shed light on the unlawful detention of Armenian prisoners and the importance of international advocacy for their release. |
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2. ANC-UK Inaugural Gala Dinner chronicle
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| “The Armenian National Committee of the United Kingdom (ANC-UK) operates with a small yet highly efficient and dedicated team, often working with limited resources and support from the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The ANC-UK’s inaugural fundraising gala, held on January 28, 2025, was a milestone event for the Armenian Cause in the U.K.”.
“It was significant because many parliamentarians attended and witnessed the strong support the community has for ANC-UK as the only advocacy group in the U.K.,” ANC-UK Chairperson Annette Moskofian said. “Additionally, the presence of various community organizations helped unify the community around our cause. Everyone recognized that Hai Tahd is not just for a select group of Armenians, but for all Armenians, no matter [their] political views.”
Read the full story about our inaugural fundraising gala in The Armenian Weekly: https://armenianweekly.com/2025/02/12/armenian-cause-gains-momentum-with-the-anc-uks-first-fundraising-gala/ |
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3. 37th Anniversary of the Sumgait Pogrom
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| Thirty-seven years ago, from February 27-29, 1988, the Sumgait pogrom unfolded in Azerbaijan, targeting the Armenian population in a brutal campaign of violence. Encouraged by impunity and the criminal inaction of Azerbaijani authorities, innocent Armenians—including children, women, and the elderly—were killed, tortured, and forcibly displaced from their homes, part of a state-sponsored policy of Armenophobia that continued with further pogroms in Baku, Kirovabad, and other Armenian-populated regions.
Today, Azerbaijan persists in its genocidal efforts to empty Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) of its Armenian population, using ethnic cleansing, cultural destruction, and continued aggression.
We call on the international community to take concrete actions against Azerbaijan’s Armenophobic policies and uphold justice for the displaced Armenians who have been denied their fundamental rights for decades. The collective right of the Armenian population to return to Artsakh must be recognized and protected, ensuring their safety, dignity, and self-determination. |
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4. Calling all Armenians in the UK that are members of the Labour Party
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Calling all Armenians in the UK that are members of the Labour Party, please message us or send us an email ( info@ancuk.org.uk). |
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5. UK Parliamentarians raising the issues of Armenia and Artsakh
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6. News articles and recent developments
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| The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France submitted a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding Azerbaijan’s actions in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Filed by attorney Sévag Torossian, the complaint calls on the ICC Prosecutor to investigate Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other officials for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed between 2020 and 2023.
CCAF Co-Presidents Ara Toranian and Mourad Papazian have also urged the French government to advocate for an official ICC investigation. The complaint requests that the ICC Prosecutor:
• Open an investigation into crimes committed against the Armenians of Artsakh.
• Establish the ICC’s jurisdiction over Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Issue an international arrest warrant for President Ilham Aliyev and other responsible officials. |
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| The Azerbaijani government has ordered the suspension of BBC News’ Azerbaijani operation in the capital city, Baku, on February 20. The BBC said in a statement on Thursday that it had made the “reluctant decision” to close its office in the country after receiving a verbal instruction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The corporation added that it “deeply” regrets “this restrictive move against press freedom”.
“We deeply regret this restrictive move against press freedom, which will hinder our ability to report to and from Azerbaijan for our audiences inside and outside the country,” a BBC spokesperson said in a statement. |
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| The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem faces an imminent foreclosure of its historic properties over a disputed municipal tax debt. The Jerusalem Municipality is pushing this unjust action despite lacking legal clarity and owing millions to the Patriarchate in unpaid rent. If the court rejects the Patriarchate’s appeal on February 24, 2025, the Municipality will seize and auction Armenian Church properties.
“This is a clear attempt by the Municipality to undermine the Armenian Patriarchate through singling it out with economic pressure, with the aim of diminishing its presence in the Holy Land”, said the Armenian Patriarchate. “This could have a profoundly negative impact on the overall Christian presence in the Holy Land, as well as on the religious, cultural, educational and ministerial activities of all Christian institutions currently operating in the region”.
“We call upon the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Interior Minister, Mr. Moshe Arbel, and the head of the governmental committee, Mr. Tzachi Hanegbi, to intervene decisively and immediately freeze all actions taken by the Municipality against the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem”. |
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Make your donation
Please give today to help our campaigns
To continue our ever growing work in advocacy we urgently need funds to have paid staff. All our efforts are done on voluntary basis. Please donate so we can carry on working for the Armenian Cause and raise the concerns of the British Armenian community.
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You can now donate monthly!
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Why Donate?
The Armenian National Committee of the United Kingdom (ANC-UK) is the largest and most influential British-Armenian political grassroots organisation.
Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Britain and affiliated organisations around the world, ANC-UK actively advances the concerns of the British-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
The work achieved by ANC-UK is currently on a volunteer basis. However, we are hopeful that in the coming years through the financial support of our community, the ANC-UK chapter will have the necessary funds to open a full-time office employing an Executive Director and a part-time Administrative Assistant.
Setting up an ANC-UK office will allow for our organisation’s goals to be achieved as they have been throughout the diaspora in the United States of America, Canada, Australia and Europe.
As a grassroots organisation, we rely upon you, our community and friends for financial assistance to advance our cause. Your donations support our goal of having a full-time office, to advocate on issues important to all British-Armenians and the Armenian cause.
Thank you for your consideration of our request for your support.
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