26.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. The head of the press service of the Ministry of National Defense of Azerbaijan, Araz Kurbanov asserted the information of the Armenian side that there are two more Armenian war captives in Azerbaijan.
According to him, most recently they voluntarily yielded themselves prisoners to the Azeri side. One of them - a native of the Noemberyan region of Armenia, Misha Muradian stated that during his service he was mocked at and beaten by the officers. Kurbanov declared also that the other Armenian military who gave himself up - Tiko Tikoyan, Kurd by nationality, stated that he was humiliated in the army and was constantly insulted because he wasn't an Armenian and belonged to other religion.
According to the head of the press service of the Ministry of National Defense of Azerbaijan, both the military don't want to return to Armenia, being afraid of persecution by the authorities. At present the representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross are negotiating with them and in the near future the Azeri side is going to return them to the Armenian side, said Kurbanov. -0-