Interfax, Russia
Dec 15 2009
No Azerbaijani captives in Karabakh – State Commission
STEPANAKERT Jan 15
The Karabakh State Commission has refuted reports claiming the alleged
captivity of Azerbaijani citizens in Kazakhstan.
Such reports "are another act of misinformation aimed to discredit
authorities of the Karabakh Republic and to mislead the international
public," a commission source told Interfax on Thursday.
There is not a single captive or a hostage in Karabakh, he stressed.
"In strict compliance with the Geneva Convention, Karabakh authorities
transferred all the prisoners to Azerbaijan with the mediation of the
International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) after the end of the armed
confrontation. Nowadays Karabakh agencies timely inform Stepanakert
offices of the ICRC and the OSCE of any Azerbaijani servicemen of
civilians entering the Karabakh territory. Such people are transferred
to Azerbaijani authorities without preconditions," the source said.
ICRC and OSCE representatives have unlimited access to any detention
centers, which rules out the possible concealment of Azerbaijani
captives in Karabakh, he said.
The Azerbaijani State Commission on POW, Hostages and Missing Persons
posted a report for last year several days ago. The commission claimed
that 39 Azerbaijani citizens were allegedly held in custody in
Karabakh.