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AZERBAIJAN HANDS OVER 77-YEAR-OLD "COMMANDO" TO ARMENIA (UPDATED)
March 4, 2014 - 14:43 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A 77-year-old captive Mamikon Khojoyan who had been
interned in Baku, Azerbaijan, returned to Armenia today (March 4)
under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC). The man was placed in the care of Armenian officials on the
road between the Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of
Ijevan, at the international border. ICRC delegates had visited the man
prior to his repatriation in order to assess the conditions in which
he was being held and the treatment he received, ICRC Armenia reported.
Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan earlier confirmed
reports of Azerbaijan' transfer of Khojoyan over to Armenian side. As
he noted, representatives of the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) Yerevan office were headed for the transfer site.
"Armenian citizen Khojayan Mamikon, who was detained while crossing
the contact line of troops on January 28, is expected to be handed over
to his country today," Secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners
of War, Hostages and Missing Persons Shahin Sayilov earlier told APA.
Azerbaijan's capture of an elderly Armenian, dubbed a member of an
"Armenian commando group" came as another one in a series of increased
tensions at the frontline.
As Azeri media claimed earlier, "a 65 year-old member of an Armenian
commando group, injured in a diversion attempt, was detained at the
contact line near the village of Alibeili, Tovuz region."
Novosti-Armenia said the Defense Ministry refuted Azeri claims,
noting that no soldier at the military units stationed near the region
indicated was absent from service.
According to Panorama.am, the head of Verin Karmraghbyur village
reported local resident Mamikon Khojoyan missing, with a search
initiated.
As the Armenian Police spokesperson Armen Malkhasyan noted, the
77-year-old, who suffered from a mental disorder, lived alone and
was under medical observation.
The villagers last saw Khojoyan near the settlement of Maflar. Their
description of the captive matched the photo of a man posted on
Azeri websites.
Baku describes the elderly Armenian as a subversive agent, which
does not mean it's true, Azeri analyst Zardusht Alizadeh said, citing
previous cases where Armenian captives were accused of espionage with
no proof at hand.
Uzeir Jafarov, an Azerbaijani military analyst, also dismissed the
official Azerbaijani version of Khojoyan's capture. "That man has
nothing to do with the sabotage group," he told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani
service. "He is an old man who seems to have health problems. There
is not a single sign that the Defense Ministry's claims are true."
"The Defense Ministry had better explain why Khojoyan was caught
by ordinary [Azerbaijani] villagers," said Jafarov. "What were the
Azerbaijani soldiers stationed in that area doing?"
Azeri Ministry of Defense stood by its claims that Khojoyan is
a saboteur. However, later, Baku slightly changed its version of
the events. The elderly man was described as a part of the commando
group - a guide well familiar with the area - captured in a botched
diversion attempt.
The head of the village of Alibeili, however, refuted the report,
noting that Khojoyan was spotted by one of the villagers and further
detained by Azeri soldiers who took him to Baku.
Azeris remain true to their traditional scenario of capturing an
Armenian, a soldier or not, coming up with a suitable legend, and
interviewing him to "prove" the legend. Nothing's different this time.
ANS TV channel, greedy for such conversations, interviewed a
77-year-old Armenian hostage.
Khojoyan was shown sitting on a hospital bed, with his right arm in a
cast. "I broke my arm but am fine now," he was quoted as saying. "My
arm is now healing. They are taking good care of me." According to
Azeri media, Khojoyan gave ambiguous information, sometimes presenting
himself as a special service agent, and sometimes a wine-grower.
Journalists seemed to make no allowances for the mentally challenged
elderly man. Also, previous footage shows Khojoyan with an unbroken
arm at the time of his capture. It was beyond doubt that the Azeri
side forced the elderly man into giving the "necessary statement."
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/176467/
From: Baghdasarian
March 4, 2014 - 14:43 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - A 77-year-old captive Mamikon Khojoyan who had been
interned in Baku, Azerbaijan, returned to Armenia today (March 4)
under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC). The man was placed in the care of Armenian officials on the
road between the Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of
Ijevan, at the international border. ICRC delegates had visited the man
prior to his repatriation in order to assess the conditions in which
he was being held and the treatment he received, ICRC Armenia reported.
Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan earlier confirmed
reports of Azerbaijan' transfer of Khojoyan over to Armenian side. As
he noted, representatives of the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) Yerevan office were headed for the transfer site.
"Armenian citizen Khojayan Mamikon, who was detained while crossing
the contact line of troops on January 28, is expected to be handed over
to his country today," Secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners
of War, Hostages and Missing Persons Shahin Sayilov earlier told APA.
Azerbaijan's capture of an elderly Armenian, dubbed a member of an
"Armenian commando group" came as another one in a series of increased
tensions at the frontline.
As Azeri media claimed earlier, "a 65 year-old member of an Armenian
commando group, injured in a diversion attempt, was detained at the
contact line near the village of Alibeili, Tovuz region."
Novosti-Armenia said the Defense Ministry refuted Azeri claims,
noting that no soldier at the military units stationed near the region
indicated was absent from service.
According to Panorama.am, the head of Verin Karmraghbyur village
reported local resident Mamikon Khojoyan missing, with a search
initiated.
As the Armenian Police spokesperson Armen Malkhasyan noted, the
77-year-old, who suffered from a mental disorder, lived alone and
was under medical observation.
The villagers last saw Khojoyan near the settlement of Maflar. Their
description of the captive matched the photo of a man posted on
Azeri websites.
Baku describes the elderly Armenian as a subversive agent, which
does not mean it's true, Azeri analyst Zardusht Alizadeh said, citing
previous cases where Armenian captives were accused of espionage with
no proof at hand.
Uzeir Jafarov, an Azerbaijani military analyst, also dismissed the
official Azerbaijani version of Khojoyan's capture. "That man has
nothing to do with the sabotage group," he told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani
service. "He is an old man who seems to have health problems. There
is not a single sign that the Defense Ministry's claims are true."
"The Defense Ministry had better explain why Khojoyan was caught
by ordinary [Azerbaijani] villagers," said Jafarov. "What were the
Azerbaijani soldiers stationed in that area doing?"
Azeri Ministry of Defense stood by its claims that Khojoyan is
a saboteur. However, later, Baku slightly changed its version of
the events. The elderly man was described as a part of the commando
group - a guide well familiar with the area - captured in a botched
diversion attempt.
The head of the village of Alibeili, however, refuted the report,
noting that Khojoyan was spotted by one of the villagers and further
detained by Azeri soldiers who took him to Baku.
Azeris remain true to their traditional scenario of capturing an
Armenian, a soldier or not, coming up with a suitable legend, and
interviewing him to "prove" the legend. Nothing's different this time.
ANS TV channel, greedy for such conversations, interviewed a
77-year-old Armenian hostage.
Khojoyan was shown sitting on a hospital bed, with his right arm in a
cast. "I broke my arm but am fine now," he was quoted as saying. "My
arm is now healing. They are taking good care of me." According to
Azeri media, Khojoyan gave ambiguous information, sometimes presenting
himself as a special service agent, and sometimes a wine-grower.
Journalists seemed to make no allowances for the mentally challenged
elderly man. Also, previous footage shows Khojoyan with an unbroken
arm at the time of his capture. It was beyond doubt that the Azeri
side forced the elderly man into giving the "necessary statement."
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/176467/
From: Baghdasarian