0 8000 12 11

According to human rights defender Artur Sakunts the statement of spokesman of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry Eldar Sabiroglu speaks of their weak conduct.  “However, I haven’t heard of a case when our side has made an Azerbaijani POW speak and forced to express an opinion.    Armenian Defense Ministry happened to disseminate that an Azerbaijani was taken prisoner by noting that the latter fled due to bad conditions of military service… even if something like this has been done, it doesn’t mean that Azerbaijan must act like that. Both of the sides have commitments by Geneva Convention to maintain the life and security of the POW, refrain from exerting violence against him, respect his right express an opinion, as well as are bound to undertake measures to urgently return the prisoner of war.

If the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan explains their conduct in this manner, “We do it like this, since the Armenian side has done so, it is a very weak conduct”, told Mr. Sakunts by addressing the statement of the spokesman of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry that interviews were more than once conducted with Azerbaijani POWs and aired by Yerevan TV companies in Armenia. Mr. Sakunts also noted it was none of Azerbaijan’s business how the soldier looked upon being taken as a POW, it shouldn’t be an issue for discussion. The issue isn’t how the soldier looked upon captivity, but what treatment the captor party displays. The previous cases with other POWs show that violence is exerted against both military and civil captives. The captivated soldier was used for their political purposes, instead of keeping the norms of humanitarian right, the POW was used out of political   motives as a means of propaganda targeted at dishonoring the conflicting side and showing the situation in darker colors.” The fact that Baku representative office of “Red Cross” International Committee has yet failed to meet with the prisoner of war, according to Mr. Sakunts, is a grave breach of commitments undertaken by Azerbaijan regarding the international humanitarian right because from the first moment of POW’s captivity they should have informed the international “Red Cross” to arrange the meeting of their representative with the POW.” At this point the human rights activist is reluctant to specify in what circumstances or for what reasons the soldier appeared in a status of a POW, he still awaits the measures to be undertaken by the Defense Ministry of Armenia.

“The Armenian side must conduct an internal investigation to reveal the circumstances and reasons due to which the soldier found himself on the other side in a captive’s status.  When  the Defense Ministry of Armenia disseminates the investigation results, then I will present my conclusions and pose questions.” Mr. Sakunts doesn’t have expectations if President of RF Vladimir Putin will interfere in the returning of the POW.

“I always hold reserves for Putin, because in terms of international right, he must stand before   Court of the Hague with the grounds of organizing the genocide of the Chechens. I don’t have such expectations from such a dictator. How can one expect humanitarian treatment from a person, who displays no humanitarian treatment towards its citizens?”

It is noteworthy that captivated soldier Hakob Injighulyan’s relatives had recently turned to the RA authorities to pass their appeal to President of Russian Federation Putin, who was at that time in Azerbaijan, to help them with returning Hakob.