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Washington, D.C. - As the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) continues to focus on persecuted Christian and Armenian hostages held in Baku, the organization's Spring 2025 Advocacy Summit panel will shed more light on international human rights pertaining to Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives, by featuring human rights expert Sheila Paylan, Middle East Forum's Director of Policy Analysis Dr. Michael Rubin, and international lawyer and professor Elizabeth Samson on Tuesday, April 1, at the University Club.
"We expect the panelists to share their extensive knowledge on human rights, international law, and significant global developments that impact the Armenian people, as Azerbaijan continues to disregard international norms and persists in its anti-Armenian policies," said Assembly Director of Research and Analysis Robert Avetisyan. "The expertise of distinguished scholars and practitioners is crucial, as we need to contextualize the current situation and explore efforts aimed at the liberation of all Armenian prisoners and hostages unlawfully detained in Baku, preservation of Armenian heritage, and the implementation of the right of Artsakh-Armenians to return to their homeland."
International human rights lawyer Sheila Paylan, who has served as a legal advisor to the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, has over 15 years of experience advising judges and senior officials of various UN-backed international criminal tribunals. She publishes extensively on international justice and consults for a number of international organizations, NGOs, think tanks, and governments.
Dr. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and Director of Policy Analysis at Middle East Forum, is a former Pentagon official who specializes in the Middle East. He is an author of several books relating to diplomacy, and regularly publishes op-ed pieces relating to Armenia, Turkey, Iran, and the broader Middle East.
A professor of political science at the City University of New York, Elizabeth Samson has over 25 years experience in law, policy, writing and research. As a Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum, she has written articles about international law, security, and democratization, among other topics. Her latest piece focuses on Ruben Vardanyan's hunger strike, who has been imprisoned in Baku on "trumped-up charges" and his "unlawful detention."
The Assembly's Spring 2025 Advocacy Summit is scheduled for Monday, March 31 through Wednesday, April 2, and will include informative briefings, panel discussions, and meetings with Members of Congress. A Welcome Reception will be held on Tuesday, April 1, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. For more information and to register, please click here. Following the Summit, the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be commemorated on Capitol Hill.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization 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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