YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of writes Armenia writes: A few weeks ago, the Azerbaijanis abducted a resident of Khachik village of Vayots Dzor [Province], 60-year-old Ashot Khachatryan, from the territory of the village while carrying out agricultural work. After holding him hostage for about a week, they returned him back. We were told that violence was also used against him.
It is noteworthy that the official [Armenian] agencies are silent about the incident, there is no [respective] statement because this fact shows that, contrary to [PM Nikol] Pashinyan's assurances that the Armenian-Azerbaijani borders are equipped and proper monitoring is in place, soon it will be so peaceful that not soldiers but a few border guards will stand at the border, in fact there are great dangers.
We were alerted by the residents of Khachik that there is simply powerlessness there. Khachik is part of the enlarged community of Areni, whose leader Husik Sahakyan told us that he does not know much about [this] incident.
"We found out that one day he [i.e., Ashot Khachatryan] was lost, and the next day he came back. I don't know anything more," he said.