Ruben Vardanyan`s lawyer on steps Armenia`s authorities could take to  ensure release of Armenian prisoners in Baku 

ArmInfo. Jared Genser, international human rights lawyer, who defends the interests of  former state minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan, issued the  following statement: 

Despite the lack of diplomatic relations between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, what can Armenia do to help secure the release of the  Armenian Christian political prisoners and POWs in Azerbaijan?

Many people have asked how Armenia can help secure the release of  these Armenian Christians detained in Azerbaijan given there are no  diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In fact, there  is much more that can be done by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and  Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan:

Public Statements and Public Diplomacy. Prime Minister Pashinyan can  build off the statements of the Foreign Minister and Foreign Ministry  and issue a public statement that says that the release of the  political prisoners and POWs by Azerbaijan is a top priority, that  their detentions are politically-motivated, and they must be  immediately and unconditionally released. And the Prime Minister  could hold a press conference to discuss all these issues, publish an  oped in a major paper, and speak out as major developments wairant.

Assist the Families. Both the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister  could request to meet with the families of the political prisoners  and POWs to show their solidarity with them. They could also ask the  International Committee of the Red Cross and Organisation for  Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) to send trial monitors to  the trials of Ruben Vardanyan and the others. They could also ask all  their allies with embassies in Baku to send trial monitors as well.  They could even ask Azerbaijan, despite the lack of diplomatic  relations, to send Armenian Government observers to the trials.

Engage with Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Pashinyan could send a private  envoy to Baku to seek to open a humanitarian channel to negotiate the  release of the political prisoners and POWs. In addition, he could  work with a like-minded government, such as Switzerland to set up an  Armenian Interests Section at their Embassy in Baku to represent  Armenian's interests in Azerbaijan. Even if the issue of political  prisoners and POWs will not be part of a peace agreement, the Prime  Minister could make clear privately that their release must occur  before or contemporaneous with the finalization of the deal.

Request Support of United States, France, and the European Union.  Prime Minister Pashinyan could ask President Trump and Secretary  Rubio for their help, President Macron for his help, and EU High  Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas  for her help in freeing the political prisoners and POWs.

Continue and Expand Legal Cases. The Government can continue to  pursue its legal cases before the International Court of Justice and  European Court of Human Rights. It could also request the Prosecutor  the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary examination  into the forced displacement into Armenia of the 120,000 Armenian  Christian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Engage Global Religious Community. The Government can appeal for help  to address the clear persecution of the Armenian Christian community  in line with President Trump's call for action -  http://bit.ly/3FdHYre - both for the 120,000 that were summarily  dispelled from Nagorno Karabakh and cUITent Armenian political  prisoners being held in Baku as a result of their ethnicity and  religion.

Engage Multilaterally.

Prime Minister Pashinyan could appoint a special envoy to free  persecuted Christians worldwide with a focus on working to secure the  release of the political prisoners and POWs. He could join with 80  countries in the world and sign on to the Canadian-led Declaration  Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations.

Prime Minister Pashinyan could ask UN Secretary-General Antonio  Guteires and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk for  help in secure the release of the prisoners and POWs on humanitarian  grounds.