14:22, 12 January, 2021

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan says politicizing humanitarian and human rights-related issues in the post-war stage is impermissible, which, according to him, is a gross violation.

“Azerbaijan is openly politicizing the issue of prisoners of war. According to the international standards, the prisoners of war or civilian captives must be immediately released and returned to their home countries after the end of the military operations. Initiating criminal proceedings against them is banned, their detention, arrest is viewed as a punishment and is also banned. Moreover, the artificial delay of these issues is also banned, and this, in fact, is also a war crime”, the Ombudsman said at a press conference.

He added that all these are enshrined by international conventions, the demands of which are also spread on Azerbaijan.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan