RA OMBUDSPERSON SENDS LETTER TO HER AZERI COLLEAGUE, ICRC ON ISSUE OF
ARMENIAN ARMY SOLDIER TAKEN PRISONER
YEREVAN, APRIL 13, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian sent
a letter to Elmira Suleymanova, Azeri Plenipotentiary on Human Rights,
to the Headquarters of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC)
in Jeneva, ICRC delegations in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Stepanakert, in
which she expressed anxiety about the recent case of taking prisoner
of the Armenian army soldier. The letter submitted to Noyan Tapan by
RA Ombudsperson’s Staff’s Information and Public Relations Department,
in particular, read: “On April 1 of the current year the International
Working Group on search for missing people, hostages and release of
captives in the conflict zone spread information that Armenian
serviceman Zohrab Tamoyam doing his compulsory military service in
Noyemberian was taken prisoner by the Azeri party. The information
wasn’t confirmed by the Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan but Azeri
independent military experts declare that the information corresponds
to reality. According to the reports of Azeri press, Z.Tamoyan was
taken prisoner by the sanction of Azerbajan’s Defence Ministry. Taking
into consideration the fact that the soldier taken prisoner is a
representative of national minority I express deep anxiety about his
fate and conditions of keeping him in captivity. The Armenian party
has a sad experience proving the special cruelty with which the Azeri
party treats military captives of Kurdish nationality. There has been
a case when a soldier, Yezid by nationality, who returned from
captivity, didn’t want to live any longer. In connection with this I
appeal to you with a request to take control over the situation and
provide observation of human rights and Jeneva conventions in relation
to Z.Tamoyan. I hope my request will be heard by the committees of Red
Cross and Azeri Ombudsperson. On my part I express readiness to do
everything possible to solve this problem and problems of the kind in
complete correspondence with international humanitarian right norms
and consider that cooperation in solution of pro! blems of
humanitarian character will permit to relax tension in the conflict
zone and will serve the peaceful settlement of Karabakh problem in the
name of security and stability.”