BERNHARD KLAZEN: "WE ARE NOT READY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF AZERBAIJANI WAR PRISONERS UNTIL AZERBAIJAN GUARANTEES THAT THEY WON’T BE CONVICTED UPON THEIR RETURN HOME"
Today.Az
04 February 2008
Azerbaijani war prisoners, whose release was supported by the
International work group for release of war prisoners and search of
missing people and captives in the area of the Garabagh conflict,
are later charged with treason in Azerbaijan.
The due announcement was made by Bernhard Klazen, co-chairman of the
international work group, commenting on the recent activity of the
work group and its future plans.
"The latest case is a case of former war prisoner Vusal Garajayev,
who was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment for treason on May
15 of 2007. Vusal was captured by Armenians for three weeks in
December of 2006. I can hardly imagine the grave crime he could have
committed within such a short period of time, which would justify
such a punishment".
He said that until Azerbaijan guarantees that war prisoners will not
be convicted upon their return, the group is not ready to deal with
their problems.
"In 2007 we did not deal with the release of war prisoners for
this reason.
We sent a letter to the President of Azerbaijan on this issue but
there was no response. However, if Azerbaijan officially guarantees
that the war prisoners are not convicted upon return, we will be
ready to continue our work", he concluded.