Report on Azerbaijan's failure to return Armenian POWs sent to UNFebruary 16, 2021 - 12:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Human Rights Defender of Armenia on Monday, February 15 sent a detailed report to the UN Human Rights Council, noting that the Azerbaijani authorities are delaying the return of the captives and prisoners of war, and they are grossly violating international mandates and requirements. "The report was sent to the UN Human Rights Council under a separate procedure. Only national human rights institutions with international "A" status have this opportunity," Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan reports. "The report specifically mentions that the Azerbaijani authorities are abusing legal procedures and politicizing the issue of the repatriation of the POWs. By doing so, they are causing mental suffering to our society and, and foremost, to the families of the captives, and by toying with their emotions they are causing targeted raising of tensions." Tatoyan said the report has been submitted now, taking into account the dates and timing of the scheduled sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. Several dozen Armenian POWs returned from Azerbaijan in mid-December, although Armenian officials said many more people were being held in Baku. Dozens of others, both servicemen and civilians, have been captured after the completion of military hostilities. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said in one of his speeches that the newly detained persons are not prisoners of war but “terrorists”. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan has said, meanwhile, that at least 120 Armenian prisoners of war are being held in Azerbaijan. Sahakyan represents the rights of some of the Karabakh POWs before the European Court of Human Rights. The lawyer said there is enough evidence proving the capture of said persons, which the Armenian side will submit to international agencies and courts. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with Stephan Schütz, Executive Partner at Gerkan, Marg and Partners. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |