Armenian Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan, in a statement today marking the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, says 303 people from Armenia are still listed as missing in the aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh war according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

“Enforced disappearances have a severe impact both on the victims, who are often tortured and live in constant fear for their lives, and on their families, who are unaware of the fate of their loved ones and live in constant anticipation of their return,” Grigoryan writes.

Grigoryan accuses Azerbaijan of not providing factual data on Armenian POWs and other missing persons, and using the issue for political purposes.

She writes that international response mechanisms in such cases aren’t as effective as needed.