November 23, 2021 - 11:59 AMT
Ombudsman's staff studying fresh videos showing Armenian PoWs

Immediately after Azerbaijan's latest attack, the Armenian Human Rights Defender's Office is studying the videos of captured Armenian servicemen, translating them from Azerbaijani and identifying those featured in them, Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan said in a statement on Monday, November 22.

Tatoyan revealed that his team has so far collected 21 videos and 6 photos, adding that they maintain communication with the

Said materials will then be properly examined as reliable evidence and will be sent to both international and Armenian organizations for using them in the process of returning the captive home, the Human Rights Defender said.

"According to the Human Rights Defender, the fact that a soldier or a civilian is in captivity should be registered from the moment when, for example, a video reveals that they are under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces or the authorities. Failure to do so does not absolve them (Azerbaijani authorities - Ed.) of responsibility," Tatoyan added.

"There have been numerous cases in the past when the fact of captivity was confirmed with videos, but not by Azerbaijani authorities."

At least 19 of the hundreds of Armenians captured during during the 44-day war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) have been tortured and killed, according to their lawyers.