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BAKU DRAWS OUT ARMENIAN CAPTIVE ROW
http://asbarez.com/113105/baku-draws-out-armenian-captive-row/
Wednesday, August 21st, 2013
Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan
BAKU-An Azerbaijani state commission dealing with prisoners of war and
missing persons says it might be willing to return Armenian soldier
Hakop Injighulian, who was captured while accidentally wandering past
the Azeri border, the secretary of the commission Shahin Sailov told
local media on Wednesday, August 21.
According to Sailov, the reasons for the soldier's crossing the
contact line are "being clarified." He said that the soldier can be
handed over to Armenia or to a third country only after they have
investigated the case.
Meanwhile, Yerevan has complained about Azerbaijan's ill treatment
of the POW, such as in parading him on television, citing violations
of international conventions regarding POWs.
In a statement issued last Wednesday, an Armenian government commission
dealing with POWs and missing persons argued that the conventions
forbid any public exposure of captured enemy soldiers. It also
decried the fact that Injighulian was made to wear an Azerbaijani
military uniform.
Sailov told the media, "Everything depends on the captive's wish,
and if he wants to return to Armenia he will be repatriated, and the
State Commission does not see a problem in this regard."
On Tuesday, ICRC representatives met with Injighulian and passed
along a message from his family. According to the ICRC, the soldier
was informed about his family and, in turn, his family will receive
information about him.
On the night of August 7, Hakob Injighulyan, an Armenian citizen and
an army conscript, crossed the Azeri border and was subsequently
captured by Azeri soldiers. According to preliminary information,
Injighulyan had lost his bearings on the terrain and inadvertently
crossed the line of contact.
Armenia offered to free an Azerbaijani prisoner of war last week as
it continued trying to secure the release of the Armenian soldier.
Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said that Firuz Farajev,
an Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia a year ago, has
"changed his mind and expressed a desire to return to Azerbaijan."
There has been no official response to the offer from Azerbaijan yet.
http://asbarez.com/113105/baku-draws-out-armenian-captive-row/
Wednesday, August 21st, 2013
Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan
BAKU-An Azerbaijani state commission dealing with prisoners of war and
missing persons says it might be willing to return Armenian soldier
Hakop Injighulian, who was captured while accidentally wandering past
the Azeri border, the secretary of the commission Shahin Sailov told
local media on Wednesday, August 21.
According to Sailov, the reasons for the soldier's crossing the
contact line are "being clarified." He said that the soldier can be
handed over to Armenia or to a third country only after they have
investigated the case.
Meanwhile, Yerevan has complained about Azerbaijan's ill treatment
of the POW, such as in parading him on television, citing violations
of international conventions regarding POWs.
In a statement issued last Wednesday, an Armenian government commission
dealing with POWs and missing persons argued that the conventions
forbid any public exposure of captured enemy soldiers. It also
decried the fact that Injighulian was made to wear an Azerbaijani
military uniform.
Sailov told the media, "Everything depends on the captive's wish,
and if he wants to return to Armenia he will be repatriated, and the
State Commission does not see a problem in this regard."
On Tuesday, ICRC representatives met with Injighulian and passed
along a message from his family. According to the ICRC, the soldier
was informed about his family and, in turn, his family will receive
information about him.
On the night of August 7, Hakob Injighulyan, an Armenian citizen and
an army conscript, crossed the Azeri border and was subsequently
captured by Azeri soldiers. According to preliminary information,
Injighulyan had lost his bearings on the terrain and inadvertently
crossed the line of contact.
Armenia offered to free an Azerbaijani prisoner of war last week as
it continued trying to secure the release of the Armenian soldier.
Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said that Firuz Farajev,
an Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia a year ago, has
"changed his mind and expressed a desire to return to Azerbaijan."
There has been no official response to the offer from Azerbaijan yet.