Returned captives face both social and mental problems – Hilda Choboyan

In the final months of 2022, we noticed that the issue of prisoners had faded—and it faded from the consciousness of our society, said Hilda Choboyan, President of the Covcas Center for Law and Conflict Resolution, during a press conference at Alpha Media Center titled “Protecting Armenian Prisoners: How to Help Former Prisoners Overcome Post-Traumatic Disorders.”

“In the first months after the war, many movements were created to advocate for the release of prisoners, but they quickly dissolved. We searched for sponsors for about 45 prisoners and eventually found them. Mayors and heads of communities from mid-sized cities in France and various European countries took on this sponsorship. As a result, support was secured for approximately 15-16 prisoners,” Choboyan said.

According to her, psychological support continues to be provided to those who have returned from captivity.

“In December 2023, 32 prisoners were released, and during those days we began supporting them in various matters. By June-July 2023, we observed that the prisoners were facing serious psychological issues—not only mental health issues but also social difficulties. We developed a new program aimed at supporting those in need of mental care, and such programs are still active today,” Choboyan concluded.