Ombudsman: Azerbaijan silent on Armenian POW issue

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan stated that from her first day in office, she reached out to Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva regarding Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) but has received no response. She discussed this issue with journalists following a government meeting.

"This reflects the stance of that state and its officials on human rights. From the start, I have emphasized that these are humanitarian and human rights issues, and communication should be depoliticized. Ignoring such concerns entirely is, in my view, unacceptable for any institution dealing with human rights," Manasyan said, as reported by Sputnik Armenia.

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defense and Security, Andranik Kocharyan, told journalists that Armenian POWs and former officials of Artsakh imprisoned in Baku are subjected to torture, according to Panorama.am .

"Of course, people are being tortured in Baku’s prisons. If you observe the faces of the Artsakh military-political leadership during their trial, you will see clear evidence of torture in Baku’s dungeons," Kocharyan stated.

He stressed the importance of a strong response from the international community to prevent such abuses.

"It is written all over Ruben Vardanyan’s face what is happening to them in Baku’s prisons. He once said a lot, and now those words are being used against him. Never say something that can be turned against you later."

Kocharyan also warned that the ongoing trials would be used against Armenia.

"They should never have been captured. High-ranking officials being taken prisoner is a threat to the country," he emphasized.

Since January 17, Azerbaijan has been conducting trials against former military and political leaders of Artsakh. The accused include former Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan, former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, and others.

The case of former State Minister and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan is being handled separately. Despite his request to merge his case with others, the court decided to review 400 of the 422 volumes separately. Vardanyan’s health has deteriorated significantly since he began a hunger strike in an Azerbaijani prison on February 19.