Vigen Euljekchyan, who is being held in Baku, has been on a hunger strike for more than 15 days

Vigen Euljekjian, a Lebanese-Armenian who has been held in Azerbaijani captivity since 2020, has been on a hunger strike for more than 15 days. He has not been allowed to contact his family for more than two months. Luciana Manukyan, director of the Buenos Aires branch of the Society for the Relief of Armenian Orphans (SOAR), raised the alarm on the X page.

The organization sent a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross, presenting Vigen’s situation and calling for action.

“Vigen Euljekjian, who has been held in Azerbaijan as an Armenian prisoner of war since 2020, is holding a silent protest through a hunger strike that has been going on for more than 15 days. His demand is extremely simple: a phone call to his wife, Linda. Just one call, a basic human connection, that’s all he needs,” the letter states.

It is recalled that the Geneva Convention guarantees the right of prisoners of war to maintain regular contact with their families. However, this right is being violated. The Azerbaijani authorities are not allowing the ICRC to enter the facility where Vigen and others are being held, cutting off their contact with the outside world and their loved ones. It is emphasized that since February 21, civilians held in Baku have been deprived of the opportunity to establish contact with their families.