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Assembly Applauds Bipartisan Committee Vote Calling for Release of Armenian Hostages Held by Azerbaijan
- Armenian Assembly of America
- Jul 23
- 2 min read
House Foreign Affairs Committee Adopts Sherman Amendment by Vote of 44–7
Armenian Assembly Terjenian-Thomas class of 2026 interns thank Armenian Caucus
Co-Chair Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) for his leadership in calling for the release of Armenian hostages held by Azerbaijan
Washington, D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) applauds the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s strong bipartisan adoption of an amendment introduced by Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chair Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), calling upon Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian hostages.
The amendment to H.R. 9087, the House Foreign Service Act, was approved on July 22 by a vote of 44-7, placing the Committee firmly on record against Azerbaijan’s continued detention of Armenian hostages.
Sherman Amendment # 143 as Amended by Unanimous Consent to H.R. 9087
Yes - 44 | No - 7 | Abs. - 0 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chairman Mast | Salazar | Moylan | RM Meeks | J. Jackson | Schneider |
McCaul | Huizenga | Luna | Sherman | Kamlager-Dove | Dean |
Smith | Radewagen | Biggs | Keating | Costa | Wasserman Schultz |
Wilson | Davidson | Baumgartner | Bera | Amo | Pocan |
Perry | Baird | Mackenzie | Castro | Mfume | Bell |
Issa | Kean | Fine | Titus | Jayapal | |
Burchett | Lawler | Miller | Lieu | Latimer | |
Barr | Mills | Gallagher | Jacobs | Olszewski | |
R. Jackson | Self | Stanton | Johnson | ||
Kim | Zinke | Moskowitz | McBride | ||
“The Committee’s overwhelming vote sends an important and unequivocal message that the unlawful detention of Armenians cannot be ignored or treated as a secondary issue,” stated Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. “We commend Congressman Sherman for his steadfast leadership, Chairman Brian Mast for supporting the amendment, and the bipartisan group of Committee members who voted in favor of the immediate and unconditional release of every Armenian hostage held by Azerbaijan.”
The amendment expresses the sense of Congress that Azerbaijan must release all Armenian hostages without conditions. Its adoption follows years of sustained advocacy by the Assembly, including testimony submitted to both the House and Senate calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Armenian hostages, as well as continued concern regarding Azerbaijan's treatment of Armenian hostages, including reports of torture, mistreatment, politically motivated prosecutions, denial of due process, and restrictions on independent international access.
The Assembly urges Congress and the Administration to build upon this vote by using all available diplomatic and policy tools to secure the hostages’ release and hold Azerbaijan accountable for continuing violations of international law and human rights. The Assembly further reiterates its support for the full enforcement of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act and for prohibiting U.S. security assistance that could strengthen Azerbaijan’s capacity to threaten Armenia or commit further abuses.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization dedicated to promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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NR# 2026-28
