Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan presented the reports on the torture and ill-treatment of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and other captives in Azerbaijan after last year’s war to members of the Italian Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday.

He stressed the urgency of the release of Armenian captives being held in Azerbaijan, stating that the international requirements have been ignored and they are being held captive for military and diplomatic bargaining, Tatoyan’s office reported.

The ombudsman also called attention to the illegal deployment of Azerbaijani soldiers on intercommunal roads in Armenia, which endangers the lives and safety of civilians.

During the discussion, Tatoyan stated that the state-sponsored policy of Armenophobia and hostility in Azerbaijan is at the root of human rights abuses, including torture and inhuman treatment.