PARENTS OF AZERI SOLDIER SAMIR MAMMADOV HANDED OVER TO THIRD COUNTRY BY ARMENIANS MEET ICRC REPRESENTATIVES

Azeri Press Agency
Feb 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Family of Azerbaijani solider Samir Mammadov, who was captured by
Armenian armed forces and handed over to the third country on January
31, met with the Azerbaijani representatives of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the captive’s uncle Vidadi Mammadov
told APA.

He said that the meeting took place in Berde representation and the
representatives did not tell them to which country the solider was
handed over.

"They said the committee is unaware of it. We did not agree to it and
told them that it is kidnapping before the international organizations
in the 21st century. The committee representatives also said that
Samir is an independent person and will phone his parents to inform
them of his whereabouts anytime he wants," he said.

Vidadi Mammadov also added that Samir’s family wants him to return
to his motherland.

"Samir is Azerbaijani citizen. We want him to return to Azerbaijan,"
he said.

Samir Mammadov was handed over to the third country on January 31
this year. It is not released to which country he has been handed
over. Samir Mammadov was captured by Armenian armed forces in
Azerbaijani Gazakh region on December 24, 2006.