At least nineteen Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages remain in Azerbaijani custody — among them eight Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) leaders: Ruben Vardanyan, State Minister (2022–2023); Arayik Harutyunyan, President (2020–2023); Bako Sahakyan, President (2007–2020); Arkadi Ghukasyan, President (1997–2007); Davit Ishkhanyan, Speaker of the National Assembly; David Babayan, Advisor to the President and Foreign Minister; Levon Mnatsakanyan, Commander, Artsakh Defense Army; and Davit Manukyan, First Deputy Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army.

Sherman, Chu, Friedman, Costa Demand Release of Armenian Hostages at Capitol Hill Press Conference

Rep. Sherman opened the press conference citing Azerbaijan’s 2023 ethnic cleansing of over 100,000 indigenous Armenians from Artsakh and the ongoing abuse of those detained in its aftermath. “For over a thousand days, those Armenian POWs — POWs held after the war is over — and political prisoners have endured abuse and torture in Azerbaijani captivity,” Sherman said. He detailed the sham trials that produced sentences ranging from fifteen years to life, noting that five Artsakh leaders — including President Arayik Harutyunyan, Foreign Minister David Babayan, and Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan — were tried almost entirely behind closed doors, with sixteen defendants collectively charged with 2,500 crimes and no independent observers permitted. Ruben Vardanyan was separately sentenced to up to twenty years, on top of more than a year already spent in solitary confinement. Amnesty International, Sherman noted, called the proceedings against Vardanyan “nothing short of a travesty.”

Sherman tied the hostage crisis directly to the Sherman Amendment, which he advanced through the House Foreign Affairs Committee with the support of Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL). “There can be no lasting peace until each and every Armenian POW and political prisoner is freed from Azerbaijani prisons and freed to return home to their families,” he said. Sherman also pointed to Azerbaijan’s response to the European Parliament’s April resolution condemning the detentions — not releasing a single prisoner, but severing ties with the Parliament altogether and rejecting even the term “prisoner of war.” “That tells you everything you need to know about how seriously Baku takes its obligations under international law,” he said.

Rep. Chu recalled her visit to Artsakh before Azerbaijan’s forced depopulation campaign and her subsequent ban from entering Azerbaijan. “If standing up for human rights means I’m no longer welcome in Azerbaijan, then that only strengthens my determination to keep fighting for justice for the Armenian people,” she said. Chu called for the return of Artsakh Armenians to their homeland, the protection of cultural and religious heritage, and the release of all political prisoners.

Rep. Friedman condemned Azerbaijan’s sham trials and the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Artsakh. “Peace cannot come without accountability, lasting security for Armenia, and a respect for Armenia’s sovereignty and for the rights of indigenous people in Artsakh,” she said. Friedman cited her letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the safe return of forcibly displaced Armenians, her advocacy for U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan, and her co-sponsorship of the Armenian Genocide Education Act.

Rep. Costa called for Azerbaijan’s immediate withdrawal from sovereign Armenian territory and the unconditional release of all detainees. “These people are not bargaining chips,” Costa said. “They are fathers, they are mothers, they are sons and daughters. And the families have waited long enough — over 1,000 days. It’s time to bring them home.” Costa also referenced his exchange with Secretary of State Rubio during Foreign Relations Committee testimony, pressing Rubio to use every available tool to secure the prisoners’ release.

ANCA: So-Called “Peace” Deal Consolidates Azerbaijan’s Genocidal Gains, Rewards Aggression with U.S. Tax Dollars

At the press conference, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian challenged the recently announced Armenia-Azerbaijan peace framework, calling it a consolidation of Azerbaijan’s genocidal gains rather than a true foundation for lasting peace.

“On this day, as we mark 1,000 days of Azerbaijani hostage diplomacy, we reaffirm our call for peace. A real peace. A just peace. A peace worthy of the name,” Hamparian said. “Today — here in Washington — the so-called ‘peace’ deal announced last year is being sold as progress. In reality, it’s the consolidation of Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Artsakh. The legitimization of the last war. A prelude to the next war.”

Hamparian warned that rewarding Azerbaijani aggression with American tax dollars would backfire. “Mark my words: if we reward Azerbaijan with American treasure, we will reap a bitter harvest of renewed Azerbaijani aggression — violence funded by the U.S. taxpayer at the expense of American interests and yet more Armenian land and lives. All the costs borne by Armenians. All the benefits flowing to Baku. Every new Armenian concession met with yet more Azerbaijani demands.”

Hamparian called on Congress to secure four concrete outcomes: the release of Armenian hostages illegally held for 1,000 days; the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from occupied Armenian territory; the return of Armenians to Artsakh in safety under an international mandate; and the protection of Christian holy sites being bulldozed across Artsakh. He also called for full enforcement of Section 907 sanctions against Azerbaijan, calling it “the statutory protection of American taxpayers against complicity in Christian persecution.”

“Baku will say that these represent obstacles to peace,” Hamparian said. “The fact of the matter is that they represent the very building blocks of peace — of real peace, of a durable peace, a peace based on justice, human rights, and religious freedom. A peace worthy of its name.”

Senators and Representatives Mark 1,000-Day Milestone, Call on Azerbaijan to Free Armenian Hostages

Members across both chambers marked the 1,000-day milestone with statements and social media posts demanding Azerbaijan’s release of Armenian hostages.

Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) called the ongoing detention a grave violation of human rights and international law. “We must use every diplomatic tool to hold Azerbaijan and the Aliyev regime accountable,” Schiff said. “All Armenian POWs must be immediately and safely returned home.”

Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) urged Azerbaijan to act. “Today marks 1,000 days that Armenian POWs and civilian hostages have remained in Azerbaijani custody, suffering prolonged imprisonment, reports of torture, and blatant human rights abuses,” Kim said. “They should be reunited with their loved ones. I urge Azerbaijan to release them now.”

Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA) pointed to his co-sponsorship of the ARMENIA Security Partnership Act as a concrete accountability measure. “Azerbaijan must comply with its international obligations and release all detainees without delay,” Fong said.

Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA) vowed to keep fighting. “Azerbaijan has tried to hide their unlawful actions, but I refuse to ignore their crimes,” Friedman said. “For as long as it takes, I’ll keep fighting for these hostages to be released and for a path towards lasting security for Armenia.”

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission called on the Trump Administration to press for the prisoners’ unconditional release. “No prisoner of war or civilian hostage should endure 1,000 days of unlawful detention,” the Commission stated. “The Administration should press for their unconditional release.”

Following the press conference, Rep. Sherman posted, “Today, I was joined by fellow Members of Congress, @ANCA_DC, and Armenian American community leaders to highlight my bipartisan amendment demanding the immediate and unconditional release of #Armenian prisoners of war held by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan must release Armenian POWs now, and Congress must be clear in demanding they do so.”

House Prepares to Vote on Sherman Amendment, Consider Eight Pro-Armenian Amendments to FY2027 National Security Bills

The House Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to hold a recorded roll call vote next week on the Sherman Amendment to the House Foreign Service Act (H.R. 9086), which — with the support of Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) — declares it the sense of Congress that Azerbaijan should immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian prisoners of war and political prisoners.

Eight pro-Armenian amendments to the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8800) and the National Security and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (H.R. 8595) — introduced by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Caucus Vice-Chair Sherman, and Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI) and Jim Costa (D-CA) — are advancing through the House Rules Committee process.

The measures call for the release of Armenian hostages and prisoners of war illegally held by Azerbaijan, the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from sovereign Armenian territory, the protection of Artsakh’s cultural and religious heritage, and the safe return of forcibly displaced Armenian refugees to their Artsakh homes.

The ANCA is urging Members of Congress to cosponsor all eight amendments ahead of Rules Committee consideration by visiting anca.org/ndaa2027.

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