INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS CONDEMNS SHOWING OF AZERBAIJANI CAPTIVE RAFIG HASANOV ON TELEVISION

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 23 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. Armenian delegation of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) took a stance on showing of
Azerbaijani soldier Rafig Rahman Hasanov, who was captured by Armenian
servicemen on October 8, on Armenian television.

Spokesperson of ICRC delegation in Azerbaijan Gulnaz Guliyeva told APA
that international humanitarian law and Geneva Convention recommends
protecting the detainee and bans to artificially increase public
interest towards that person.

"No matter which side did it. ICRC being a neutral organization
condemns it," she said.

Guliyeva said the reports that Rafig Hasanov had been shown on Armenian
television with the help of ICRC representatives was groundless.

Novosti Armenia agency reported that 19-year-old soldier Rafig
Hasanov said in his interview to an Armenian channel that he refused
to return to Azerbaijan. In his interview Hasanov reportedly said
he had undergone insult and humiliation in Azerbaijani Army, did not
want to return to Azerbaijan and wanted to stay in Armenia.

Soldier of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s military unit, Hasanov
Rafig Rahman, 19, was captured by Armenian servicemen on the line of
contact near Gazakh region on October 8, 2008.