The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation issued the following statement today calling on Azerbaijan to release all Armenians it has detained during its recent assault on Artsakh.

Amid the dire humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, tens of thousands of its inhabitants have been forced to flee to Armenia and have seen their internationally recognised human rights grievously infringed. These innocent victims have lost their livelihoods, their homes and their community. Their plight calls for immediate action by the international community.

The arrest and pursuit of those few who stayed behind sheds a glaring light on the infringement of the right to life and the right to safety of all the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation calls for the immediate release of all those detained by the Azerbaijani authorities. The Foundation is following the situation closely and stands in active solidarity with the displaced Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. It will shortly be announcing support measures to help alleviate the crisis.