HEAD OF WORKING GROUP OF STATE COMMITTEE ON POWS, HOSTAGES AND MISSING PEOPLE OF ARMENIA: I ALSO HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT CONDITIONS OF CUSTODY OF ARMENIAN POWS IN AZERI JAILS BUT I MAKE NO ALLEGATIONS
ArmInfo
2009-05-01 14:51:00
ArmInfo. The statement of the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of
Azerbaijan about the "tortures" of Azeri POW in Armenia is a barefaced
lie, the head of the working group of the State Committee on POWs,
Hostages and Missing People Armen Kapriyelyan has told ArmInfo.
"This is one more provocation, a new attempt of the Azeris to cast
mud on the Armenian authorities and our committee. How can the
spokeman of the Azeri DM know if Gasanov is tortured or not. The
only thing he can know for sure is the facts given in the reports of
ICRC delegates regularly visiting Gasanov. ICRC has always said that
we comply with the requirements of the international humanitarian
and human rights laws and has expressed satisfaction with Gasanov’s
health condition. I also have information about the conditions of the
custody of Armenian POWs in Azeri jails but I make no allegations. We
are aware of the atrocities committed by the Azeris against our POWs
and we have shared our concerns with repesentatives of international
humanitarian organizations.
Everybody is aware of our approach to the sensitive problem of custody
and treatment of POWs. So, the spokesman of the Azeri DM better not
measure others by his own yardstick. And the medical treatment of the
Armenian POWs is not their good will but just implementation of the
requirements of Article 30 of Geneva Convention on Treatment of POWs,"
says Kapriyelyan.
Earlier, APA news agency quoted the spokesman of the Azeri DM as
saying that Azeri POW Rafig Gasanov is being tortured and that they
allegedly have relevant information.
To remind, Gasanov has surrendered on his own will and has refused
to go back to Azerbaijan.