ARMENIAN PRESS SPREAD INFORMATION ABOUT RAFIG HASANOV’S REFUSAL TO RETURN TO AZERBAIJAN
Azeri Press Agency
Dec 19 2008
Azerbaijan
Yerevan-APA. "There are different reports about Armenian-captured Rafig
Hasanov and he also gives contradictive information about himself.
It is a result of tortures and violence committed against him in
Armenia. There is no doubt. I do not consider his last statement
accidentally from this view", Press Officer of the Defense Ministry
Colonel-Lieutenant Eldar Sabiroglu told APA, expressing his
reaction to the reports spread about Hasanov’s refusal to return to
Azerbaijan. Sabiroglu said using such crafty and humiliating methods
Armenia tried to create negative opinion about the Azerbaijani Army
in the international arena and used the captured soldier for this
goal. "Such attitude is contradictory to the human rights and freedoms
and to the conventions on war prisoners. However the Armenians continue
inhumanity against the captured soldier".
The State Committee of Azerbaijan on War Prisoners, Hostages and
Missing People told APA the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) reported last week that Rafig Hasanov wanted to return home. The
State Committee expressed its readiness to get back the captive in
a short time.
Press Service of the ICRC representation in Azerbaijan told APA the
ICRC officials met with Hasanov on December 12 for the last time. All
details related to the meeting are kept in confidentiality.
The captive’s brother Afig Hasanov told APA Karabakh bureau that
they heard Rafig Hasanov made appearance on Armenian TV. "However
we do not believe that he does not want to return to Azerbaijan,
because Rafig wrote in his last letter that he wants to return home".
Hasanov expressed his wish to return back to Azerbaijan in his last
letter written to his parents.
"I thought much and decided to return back to my motherland
and my mother. Wait a little. We will meet soon", the letter
says. Representative of International Committee of the Red Cross
wrote on behalf of the captive, because Hasanov cannot write or read.
Novsti-Armenia spread information on the fact that captive Rafig
Hasanov, 19, addressing one of the TV Channels stated that he refused
to return back to Azerbaijan. Hasanov said that he was insulted and
humiliated in Azerbaijani Army during military service.
"I shot at my foot not bearing all of these actions and I was treated
in hospital. After it I was again insulted," he said. Hasanov added
that he was treated well in Armenia and sent his best regards to his
parents and relatives.
"Do not worry about my fortune and I was treated well. I declare that
I will not return back to Azerbaijan," he said.
Soldier of Azerbaijani Defence Ministry’s military unit, Rafig Rahman
Hasanov, 19, was captured by Armenian soldiers in contact line near
Gazakh Region on October 8, 2008.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
