Terrorists, Hostages, or Bargaining Chips: BBC Article on Armenian Prisoners of War

Dozens of Armenian prisoners of war remain imprisoned in Baku following the war and the recent clashes between the two countries in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan, which labels these servicemen as "terrorists," is in no hurry to hand them over to Armenia. These individuals have become bargaining chips in negotiations that were supposed to lead to peace but have reached an impasse. This is reported by the BBC.

In the summer of 2021, a Baku court sentenced 13 Armenian servicemen to six years in prison. They were found guilty of terrorism, illegal possession and carrying of weapons and ammunition, illegal border crossing, and creating "armed groups." The soldiers received the verdict while they were surrounded and detained at the end of November 2020 during the second Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.