Armenian premier on his talk about Armenian prisoners with U.S.  vice-president 

ArmInfo.  Please expect as few details as possible from me on this issue, but it was on the agenda and discussed, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in an interview with OTV, asking whether the issue of releasing Armenian prisoners from Baku prisons was raised at a meeting with US Vice President J.D. Vance in Yerevan, and whether Vance expressed a  willingness to discuss this issue in Azerbaijan.

"And let me say more, without exaggeration: in practice, there are no  such negotiations, directly or indirectly related to this issue,  where we haven't touched on it; simply none. I say "relevant" because  there may be formats where there is no direct or indirect connection  whatsoever. We have regularly raised this issue in all relevant  formats, we continue to raise it, and we will be consistent in  resolving it," Nikol Pashinyan assured.

The previous evening, US Vice President J.D. Vance, leaving Armenia  for Baku, stated that he would raise the issue of the release of  Armenian prisoners of war during his meetings in Azerbaijan. At  Yerevan's Zvartnots Airport, Vance, in response to a journalist's  question on the matter, said, "This issue will certainly be  discussed. We have very good relations with both the Armenian Prime  Minister and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. In fact, I heard the  Prime Minister's remarks yesterday. He is optimistic about a peace  agreement, given where we are now compared to just a few months ago.  So we will certainly raise a number of issues, but I think we will  continue to cooperate effectively and successfully with both the  Azerbaijanis and the Armenians."

The exact number of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages held in  Azerbaijani prisons remains unknown. Experts estimate the number to  be several hundred. Currently, Azerbaijani authorities confirm the  presence of 19 Armenians in their custody. Among those held in  Azerbaijani captivity are eight former and current members of the  military-political leadership of Artsakh. These include former  Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik  Harutyunyan; former Foreign Minister David Babayan; as well as  Parliament Speaker David Ishkhanyan; former Commander of the Artsakh  Defense Army General Levon Mnatsakanyan; General David Manukyan; and  former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan.

The Baku puppet court has already sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan, David  Babayan, David Ishkhanyan, David Manukyan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan to  life imprisonment, and Bako Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasyan to 20 years  in prison on trumped-up charges. The so-called court sentenced the  remaining Artsakh residents to up to 15 years in prison. The verdict  has not yet been announced for philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan, whose  case has been separated into separate proceedings.