Bishop Hovakim Manukyan of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, together with a group of Christian leaders, has sent a letter to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, expressing deep concern over the 23 Armenians illegally held hostage in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Following the forced displacement of 120,000 Armenians from Artsakh in 2023, these individuals—including former government officials, prisoners of war, and civilians—are facing fabricated charges, unfair trials, and inhumane treatment in Baku.
The letter highlights the violation of international human rights laws, the denial of legal representation, and the expulsion of humanitarian organizations from Azerbaijan, leaving detainees in complete isolation. Bishop Manukyan calls on the UK to take a firm stance and urge Azerbaijan to comply with its international obligations.
The letter reads as follows:
“Please accept my gratitude as Primate of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom for your unwavering efforts to foster lasting peace in Europe during these uncertain times. Our prayers are with you and with all those who are working so tirelessly to bring an end to war.
I am writing to you today, together with fellow religious leaders, specifically to express my deep concern over the ongoing human rights violations against the Armenian people, particularly the unlawful detention of twenty-three Armenians by the [President Ilham] Aliyev regime in Azerbaijan.
Following the forced displacement of 120,000 Armenians from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in 2023, Azerbaijan has arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned, and indicted, on the basis of fabricated charges, twenty-three Artsakh government officials, prisoners of war, and civilians. These individuals are now being tried in violation of all basic principles of fair trial. They have been denied access to legal representation of their choice, and lawyers, foreign observers, and journalists have been prohibited from entering the courtroom or even the country. The detainees have all been, and continue to be, subjected to the agonies of ill-treatment.
Their continued detention and ongoing trials constitute flagrant and gross violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law. Their imprisonment in Baku under inhumane and degrading conditions has been strongly condemned by multiple international human rights organizations. Referring to all persons arbitrarily detained in Azerbaijan, including Armenians, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk, declared: ‘They must be released immediately, and their rights to a fair trial must be fully respected.’ (March 4, 2025).
Azerbaijan’s continued crackdown on transparency and humanitarian relief has recently seen both the suspension of BBC operations in the country—silencing independent journalism—and the expulsion of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the only organization providing humanitarian aid and the only lifeline to detainees. The detainees are thus completely isolated, and grave concerns about their treatment and well-being continue to mount. Signs of their deteriorating health are increasingly evident. Perhaps the most high-profile detainee, former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, has for the past two weeks been on a hunger strike in protest.
The United Kingdom has long been a champion of human rights and the rule of law, and it is for this reason that I write to you, Prime Minister, and ask you to take decisive action and call for the immediate release of the detainees. I, and the Armenian community of the United Kingdom and Ireland, which I represent, ask you to urge Azerbaijan to comply with its international obligations. More globally, we encourage your government, along with other European partners, to address this urgent matter through intergovernmental platforms.
A firm stance from the United Kingdom and a strong message that human rights violations will not be tolerated will help ensure that justice prevails.
Prime Minister, we entreat you to advocate for the rights of those unlawfully and unjustly imprisoned in Baku, Azerbaijan, and help ensure that each and every one is returned safely to their homes and families in Armenia. I am ever hopeful that our most heartfelt and urgent appeal will be heard and acted upon.”
The letter was signed by:
- Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Archbishop Angaelos, Archbishop of London, Coptic Orthodox Church, and Papal Legate to the United Kingdom
- Metropolitan Nikitas, Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain
- The Right Reverend James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster
- Archbishop Athanasius Toma, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop in the United Kingdom
- The Right Reverend Christopher Chessun, The Lord Bishop of Southwark
- The Right Reverend Nicholas Baines, Bishop of Leeds
- The Right Reverend Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Winchester
- Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary, Churches Together in England
