BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 25. On October 22,
another peaceful rally by Azerbaijani families of missing persons
was held at the historic Place de l’Albertine, one of the
well-known tourist spots in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The
rally was organized by the “Garabagh Missing Families” Public
Union.


The rally continued a series of demonstrations held on October
20 in front of the European Parliament at Place du Luxembourg and
on October 21 at Schuman Square, where the main institutions of the
European Union are located.


As part of the rally, a special installation featuring
photographs, clothing, and envelopes belonging to Azerbaijan’s
missing persons was displayed. The envelopes contained poignant
messages written from the perspective of the missing, including: “I
am not just a number. I have a name, I have a family,” and “I am
still someone’s child. How long must my family wait?” Through these
letters, missing Azerbaijanis whose voices have gone unheard for
more than 30 years seemed to break the silence themselves and
appeal to the world.


Visitors who learned about the installation expressed solidarity
by writing messages of support to the families of the missing,
tying ribbons in remembrance, and laying flowers.


Visitors were informed that 4,010 Azerbaijanis had gone missing
during Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territories, including
71 children, 288 women, and 319 elderly people.


Konul Behbudova, Chairwoman of the “Garabagh Missing Families”
Public Union and sister of missing martyr Abbas Behbudov, said
Armenia’s silence regarding missing Azerbaijanis was unacceptable
and called for information about the fate of the missing to be
provided to the Azerbaijani side.


Farida Jabbarova, wife of missing person 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, also shared with visitors the void left in their
families by the absence of their loved ones, as well as the years
of uncertainty and anguish they had endured.


The families’ appeal to the international community remained
unchanged: “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!”


At a meeting held on October 21, 2026, in Brussels with 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, at the European External
Action Service (EEAS), the families of missing Azerbaijanis
reaffirmed that they would continue their international rallies
until the fate of their relatives was clarified.


The “Garabagh Missing Families” Public Union is a winner in the
2026 grant competition organized by Azerbaijan’s Agency for State
Support to NGOs. Its project is titled “Echo of Absence” (“Yoxluğun
sədası”).