The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regularly visits the prisoners that are linked to the Karabakh conflict, Communication officer of the ICRC Mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, Eteri Musayelyan, informed Artsakhpress  while commenting on the statements by the relatives of Azerbaijani citizen Dilham Askerov, who is serving a prison sentence in the Republic of Artsakh.

“According to its mandate, the ICRC visits persons under arrest to conduct a monitoring of their prison conditions, the conduct toward them, as well as with the aim that they are given the opportunity to establish contact with relatives,” noted Musayelyan. “However, the prisoner himself decides whether or not to make use of the opportunity given to him to always reply to the relatives’ letters. So, there are cases when the prisoner may not wish to write letter, and the ICRC respects the prisoner’s wish.”

Dilham Askerov’s brother on Monday complained that they have no information on Askerov since March.

“They’re telling us that Dilgam doesn’t want to write letter, speak via video link,” he noted.

Dilham Askerov was charged under 7 articles of the NKR Criminal Code and Shahbaz Guliyev – under 5 articles.The defendants are charged by espionage, illegaly crossing of protected state border performed by organized group without proper documentation and approval, illegal carrying of firearms and ammunition as an organized group, kidnapping by means of violence, which puts in danger life or health, the use of weapons against a minor performed by organized group, murder interfaced to kidnapping performed by organized group, motivated by ethnic hatred. Dilham Askerov is also charged with a murder of two persons performed by organized group, motivated by ethnic hatred.