Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Wednesday that his government will make only “proportionate” and “reasonable” efforts to secure the release of Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan. However, he refrained from specifying what concrete actions his administration is taking, reiterating his claim that a more forceful approach could endanger the prisoners.
During a parliamentary session, opposition lawmaker Agnesa Khamoyan held up an image of Ruben Vardanyan, the Armenian billionaire and philanthropist who, along with seven other former Artsakh leaders, remains on trial in Baku. Vardanyan, who has been on a hunger strike for over two weeks, appeared visibly weakened in footage released by Azerbaijani state media.
Pashinyan responded by asserting that his responsibility extends beyond any single individual and encompasses the broader interests of Armenia and its citizens. “If there is an [opposition] goal to change this logic, then I would say that it is an unachievable goal,” he said, seemingly dismissing calls for a more assertive approach.
His stance has fueled concerns among critics who argue that the Armenian government’s cautious approach reflects an unwillingness to challenge Baku, potentially at the expense of Armenian prisoners. The government took more than a month to issue a formal condemnation of the “mock trials” through Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, with a stronger statement only emerging on February 28, amid growing protests from activists demanding greater action.
Vardanyan’s American lawyer, Jared Genser, urged Pashinyan on Tuesday to take more decisive steps, such as advocating for international trial monitors and making the prisoners’ release a prerequisite for any peace agreement with Azerbaijan. Pashinyan, however, appeared to dismiss such measures during the parliamentary session. When asked by Khamoyan whether he had personally appealed to foreign governments or international bodies, he declined to answer.
The prime minister has also faced criticism for past remarks that some believe played into Azerbaijani narratives. Last August, he questioned Vardanyan’s decision to renounce Russian citizenship and relocate to Artsakh in 2022, asking, “For what purpose?” His comments echoed claims from Baku that Vardanyan was acting on behalf of Moscow—an allegation the businessman denied in a statement issued through his family in September.
While the government insists its restrained approach is in Armenia’s best interests, concerns persist over whether this policy prioritizes diplomacy at the cost of Armenian captives’ well-being.
