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Prominent artists, intellectuals and culture professionals of Latvia have issued a statement, calling on Azerbaijan to speed up the exchange of bodies, prisoners of war (POWs) and hostages and their return to Armenia, the Embassy of Armenia to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia reported on Wednesday.

The announcement particularly says: 

“We, artists, intellectuals and culture professionals of the Republic of Latvia, professing our belief in the importance of humane values and joining the initiative of our Lithuanian colleagues, appeal to the authorities of Azerbaijan not to hinder the immediate return to the Republic of Armenia of prisoners of war (PoW) and other detainees, as well as the bodies of the soldiers killed in action and perished during the recent Karabakh war. According to our information, Armenia has already returned to Azerbaijan all PoWs.

We are certain that the unconditional and immediate return of all PoWs is one of the first steps necessary for the renewal of mutual trust between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia.

We call the international community to join this humanitarian initiative thus helping overcome the humanitarian disaster in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) caused by the recent war.”

• Viktors Avotiņš - poet, publicist
• Ināra Beļinkaja - president of the Booksellers Association, director of the company “Jānis Roze”, recipient of the order the Cross of Recognition
• Dana Bjorka - actress, theatre director, director of the Mikhail Chekhov • Riga Russian theatre
• Inguna Cepīte - writer, publisher
• Diāna Dimza Dimme - artist, curator at the Latvian National Museum of Art
• Ina Druviete - professor of the University of Latvia
• Andris Freibergs - stage designer, educator
• Lauris Gundars - screenwriter, playwright, theatre director, educator
• Rafi Haradžanjans - dr. art., recipient of the Order of the Three Stars
• Alvis Hermanis - opera and theatre director, director of the New Riga Theatre
• Nora Ikstena - writer, recipient of the Order of the Three Stars
• Ilze Jaunalksne-Rēdere - journalist
• Viesturs Kairišs - film, opera and theatre director
• Rēzija Kalniņa - actress, theatre director
• Andris Kalnozols - writer, theatre director, actor
• Aiks Karapetjans - film and opera director
• Agrita Kiopa - Vice-Rector for Science of the Riga Stradina University
• Marina Kosteņecka - writer, recipient of the Order of the Three Stars
• Pēteris Krilovs - film and theatre director, educator
• Rolands Kronlaks – chairman of the board of the Latvian Composers Union
• Maija Kūle ‒ dr. habil. phil., philosopher, member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Commander of the Order of the Three Stars
• Zigmars Liepiņš - composer, chairman of the board of the Latvian National Opera (2013-2019), recipient of the Order of the Three Stars
• Andra Manfelde - writer
• Evija Martinsone - opera singer
• Arturs Maskats - composer
• Agnese Meiere - journalist
• Juris Millers - Dr. philol., producer
• Jānis Nords - film director
• Karine Paronjanca - painter
• Kristīne Pasternaka - costume designer
• Georgs Pelēcis - composer, professor of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music
• Juris Poškus - film director, screenwriter
• Elena Privalova - organist, musicologist
• Ainārs Roze - Dr. oec, chairman of the company “Jānis Roze” un "Jāņa Rozes apgāds"
• Kristians Rozenvalds - public relations specialist
• Ainārs Rubiķis - conductor, music director of the Komische Oper Berlin
• Dāvis Sīmanis - film director, educator
• Ojārs Spārītis - vice president of the Latvian Academy of Sciences
• Inga Spriņģe - journalist
• Andris Sprūds - director of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs
• Baiba Strautmane - journalist
• Babken Stepanjans - painter
• Reinis Suhanovs - stage designer, theatre director
• Oļegs Šapošņikovs - theatre director, director of the Daugavpils theatre
• Andrejs Šavrejs - journalist
• Gatis Šmits - film and theatre director
• Horen Stalbe - musician
• Leons Taivans - profesor of the University of Latvia
• Sonora Vaice - opera singer
• Pēteris Vasks - composer
• Andris Veismanis - conductor
• Dace Vīgante - writer
• Māra Zālīte - writer, honorary member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences