Families of missing Azerbaijanis have held a series of peaceful rallies in Brussels, APA reports.
Organised by the Karabakh Missing Persons’ Families Public Union, the latest rally took place at the historic Place de l’Albertine on October 22.
It followed events at Place du Luxembourg outside the European Parliament on October 20 and at Schuman Square, home to key European Union institutions, on October 21.
An installation featuring photographs, clothing and letter envelopes representing missing Azerbaijanis was displayed at the rally.
The envelopes carried messages written in the voices of the missing, including: “I am not just a number. I have a name and a family” and “I am still someone’s child. How long must my family wait?”
Visitors wrote messages of support, tied commemorative ribbons and laid flowers.
They were informed that 4,010 Azerbaijanis went missing during Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories, including 71 children, 288 women and 319 elderly people.
Konul Behbudova, chairperson of the public union and sister of missing person Abbas Behbudov, described Armenia’s silence on missing Azerbaijanis as unacceptable. She demanded that information about their fate be provided to Azerbaijan.
Participants also included Farida Jabbarova, wife of Azad Jabbarov; Reyhan Janiyeva, wife of Sakhavat Janiyev; Sevinj Hajiyeva, daughter of Ahmad Mammadov; Mahuru Shahin, mother of Shahin Aliyev; Nazani Aliyeva, wife of Abulfat Aliyev; and Parvana Mammadova, wife of Ogtay Mammadov.
They spoke about the emotional suffering caused by their relatives’ disappearance and the uncertainty that has continued for many years.
The families urged the international community to intensify efforts to establish the fate of missing persons.
“We do not simply want to remember our loved ones; we want to know the truth about their fate. No family should have to wait forever,” their appeal said.
On October 21, the families also held a meeting at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels. Participants included Okke Bouwman, political adviser to the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, and Marco Cardinali, coordinator for relations with Azerbaijan.
The families said they would continue their international campaign until their relatives’ fate was clarified.
The Karabakh Missing Persons’ Families Public Union received funding for its “Echo of Absence” project through Azerbaijan’s NGO Agency’s 2026 grant competition.
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