Tweet
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER. "ARMENIAN SOLDIER WAS USED IN AZERBAIJAN..."
August 15 2013
The statement of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar
Sabiroglu, as assessed by the human rights defender Artur Sakunts,
speaks about their weak behavior. " However, I do not recall a case
that we have made an Azerbaijani captive to speak, forcing him to
express his opinion. It had happened that Ministry of Defense of
Armenia has spread the information that an Azerbaijani was taken
prisoner, noting that he had escaped from there in the result of poor
conditions.... even if such a thing was done, it does not mean that
Azerbaijan would behave that way. Both sides have a responsibility
before the Geneva Convention to protect the life and safety of
the prisoner, to refrain from committing acts of violence against
him, respect his right to express his opinion, as well as they are
obligated to take measures to immediately hand in the prisoner. If the
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry interprets their behavior as such, we do
so because the Armenian side did so: this is a very weak behavior,"-
said Mr. Sakunts, referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman's
statement that the Azerbaijani prisoners were repeatedly interviewed
in Armenia and shown by Yerevan TV companies. Mr. Sakunts also said
that it is not up to Azerbaijan what the appearance of the soldier
was in the status of captive. "What was the appearance of the soldier
in captive, should not become a matter of discussion. It is not the
matter how the captive looked like rather than how he was treated. The
cases of other prisoners show that violence was used against military
and civilian prisoners. Captive soldier was used for their political
objectives, instead of maintaining the norms of humanitarian law, the
captive was used for political purposes and as a tool for propaganda
to slander the other party to show the condition worse." The fact that
Baku office of the "Red Cross" International Committee has failed
to meet the prisoner Hacob Injighulyan, according to Mr. Sakunts's
assessment: "It is a flagrant violation of obligations of Azerbaijani
side assumed by the international humanitarian law, because they
should have informed the international "Red Cross" regarding the
prisoner from the very moment of captivation, and provided their
representatives to meet the prisoner."
So far, the human rights defender does not want to talk about what
the circumstances were, or why the soldier appeared in the status
of captive: he is still waiting for the steps from the Armenia
Ministry of Defense. "The Armenian side should carry out an official
investigation to determine the circumstances and the reasons which
result in the soldier appeared on the other side in the status of
captive. When Armenia Defense Ministry announces the results of
the official investigation, then I will present my conclusions
and questions." Whether President of Russia Vladimir Putin will
interfere in the issue of returning the prisoner, Mr. Sakunts has no
expectations. "I always have a reservation to Putin, because from
the point of view of international law, he must stand before the
Hague tribunal for organizing genocide of Chechens. I do not have any
expectation by such dictator. How can you expect a humane treatment
from a man, who does not display humane treatment for its citizens?"
Note that a day before, the relatives of captivated soldier Hacob
Injighulyan appealed to RA authorities to introduce their request to
RF President Putin in Azerbaijan to assist in the return of Hakob.
Arpine SIMONYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/08/15/156037/
August 15 2013
The statement of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar
Sabiroglu, as assessed by the human rights defender Artur Sakunts,
speaks about their weak behavior. " However, I do not recall a case
that we have made an Azerbaijani captive to speak, forcing him to
express his opinion. It had happened that Ministry of Defense of
Armenia has spread the information that an Azerbaijani was taken
prisoner, noting that he had escaped from there in the result of poor
conditions.... even if such a thing was done, it does not mean that
Azerbaijan would behave that way. Both sides have a responsibility
before the Geneva Convention to protect the life and safety of
the prisoner, to refrain from committing acts of violence against
him, respect his right to express his opinion, as well as they are
obligated to take measures to immediately hand in the prisoner. If the
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry interprets their behavior as such, we do
so because the Armenian side did so: this is a very weak behavior,"-
said Mr. Sakunts, referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman's
statement that the Azerbaijani prisoners were repeatedly interviewed
in Armenia and shown by Yerevan TV companies. Mr. Sakunts also said
that it is not up to Azerbaijan what the appearance of the soldier
was in the status of captive. "What was the appearance of the soldier
in captive, should not become a matter of discussion. It is not the
matter how the captive looked like rather than how he was treated. The
cases of other prisoners show that violence was used against military
and civilian prisoners. Captive soldier was used for their political
objectives, instead of maintaining the norms of humanitarian law, the
captive was used for political purposes and as a tool for propaganda
to slander the other party to show the condition worse." The fact that
Baku office of the "Red Cross" International Committee has failed
to meet the prisoner Hacob Injighulyan, according to Mr. Sakunts's
assessment: "It is a flagrant violation of obligations of Azerbaijani
side assumed by the international humanitarian law, because they
should have informed the international "Red Cross" regarding the
prisoner from the very moment of captivation, and provided their
representatives to meet the prisoner."
So far, the human rights defender does not want to talk about what
the circumstances were, or why the soldier appeared in the status
of captive: he is still waiting for the steps from the Armenia
Ministry of Defense. "The Armenian side should carry out an official
investigation to determine the circumstances and the reasons which
result in the soldier appeared on the other side in the status of
captive. When Armenia Defense Ministry announces the results of
the official investigation, then I will present my conclusions
and questions." Whether President of Russia Vladimir Putin will
interfere in the issue of returning the prisoner, Mr. Sakunts has no
expectations. "I always have a reservation to Putin, because from
the point of view of international law, he must stand before the
Hague tribunal for organizing genocide of Chechens. I do not have any
expectation by such dictator. How can you expect a humane treatment
from a man, who does not display humane treatment for its citizens?"
Note that a day before, the relatives of captivated soldier Hacob
Injighulyan appealed to RA authorities to introduce their request to
RF President Putin in Azerbaijan to assist in the return of Hakob.
Arpine SIMONYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/08/15/156037/