Tweet
ARMENIA SLAMS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR ITS FAILURE TO RESPOND TO VIOLATION OF ARMENIAN CAPTIVES RIGHTS IN AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, August 24, /ARKA/. A deputy Armenian defense minister
Davit Tonoyan slammed today international humanitarian organizations
and human rights activists for their failure to respond to what he
described as 'Azerbaijan's permissiveness' regarding an Armenian army
conscript, Hakob Idjighulyan, captured by Azeri troops earlier this
month near Nagorno-Karabakh.
Tonoyan's remarks came as he met with representatives of the Armenian
offices of the UNHCR and the International Committee of Red Cross. He
said Armenian authorities are concerned over continued violation of
the captured conscript's rights.
Tonoyan was quoted by the press service of Armenian defense ministry as
saying that no international organization has condemned the "interview"
with Hakob Ijighulyan, broadcast by an Azerbaijani TV.
The Azerbaijani side claims that Injighulyan defected to its frontline
troops on August 8 after being physically abused by one of his
commanders. The Armenian military denied this, saying the 22-year-old
conscript accidentally strayed into Azerbaijani-controlled territory.
It has condemned Baku for 'interviewing' the POW.
"It is evident that Azerbaijani authorities are exerting strong
moral and psychological, and possibly physical pressure on Hagop,
forcing him to make contradictory statements. A forced interview can
not be considered as grounds for his handing to a third country,"
the Armenian defense ministry said.
Tonoyan reiterated that Ijighulyan will not face prosecution when
repatriated because of absence of crime in his actions. The press
service reminded also that no citizen of Armenia, repatriated from
Azerbaijan previously had ever been prosecuted.
The Armenian authorities offered last week to swap Ijighulyan for an
Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia and was detained a year
ago. There has been no official response to the offer from Azerbaijan
yet. -0-
- See more at:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenia_slams_international_community_for_its_fail ure_to_respond_to_violation_of_armenian_captives_r/#sthash.nFFVGhuI.dpuf
YEREVAN, August 24, /ARKA/. A deputy Armenian defense minister
Davit Tonoyan slammed today international humanitarian organizations
and human rights activists for their failure to respond to what he
described as 'Azerbaijan's permissiveness' regarding an Armenian army
conscript, Hakob Idjighulyan, captured by Azeri troops earlier this
month near Nagorno-Karabakh.
Tonoyan's remarks came as he met with representatives of the Armenian
offices of the UNHCR and the International Committee of Red Cross. He
said Armenian authorities are concerned over continued violation of
the captured conscript's rights.
Tonoyan was quoted by the press service of Armenian defense ministry as
saying that no international organization has condemned the "interview"
with Hakob Ijighulyan, broadcast by an Azerbaijani TV.
The Azerbaijani side claims that Injighulyan defected to its frontline
troops on August 8 after being physically abused by one of his
commanders. The Armenian military denied this, saying the 22-year-old
conscript accidentally strayed into Azerbaijani-controlled territory.
It has condemned Baku for 'interviewing' the POW.
"It is evident that Azerbaijani authorities are exerting strong
moral and psychological, and possibly physical pressure on Hagop,
forcing him to make contradictory statements. A forced interview can
not be considered as grounds for his handing to a third country,"
the Armenian defense ministry said.
Tonoyan reiterated that Ijighulyan will not face prosecution when
repatriated because of absence of crime in his actions. The press
service reminded also that no citizen of Armenia, repatriated from
Azerbaijan previously had ever been prosecuted.
The Armenian authorities offered last week to swap Ijighulyan for an
Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia and was detained a year
ago. There has been no official response to the offer from Azerbaijan
yet. -0-
- See more at:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenia_slams_international_community_for_its_fail ure_to_respond_to_violation_of_armenian_captives_r/#sthash.nFFVGhuI.dpuf