Facts about torture of Azerbaijani hostages by Armenians submitted to ECHR

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Documents and videos on tortures against two Azerbaijanis Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, who were taken hostage by Armenians in the occupied Kalbajar region, have been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Chairman of the Azerbaijan Bar Association Anar Bagirov told Trend on June 6.

"The illegal arrest of Asgarov and Guliyev must be stopped. Their rights to free movement in their country are violated, and the ECHR must recognize their rights,” he said.

Bagirov expressed the hope that adoption of positive decisions in the European Court will be witnessed in the coming months.

He added that the Azerbaijani side will also express its attitude to the documents received earlier.

Asgarov and Guliyev have been kept hostage by Armenian militaries in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan for more than three years. They were detained by the Armenian armed forces in July 2014 while visiting their native places and graves of loved ones in the occupied Azerbaijani Kalbajar region. Moreover, Armenian armed forces killed the third Azerbaijani Hasan Hasanov.

Later, Guliyev and Asgarov were judged illegally by the unrecognized courts of the separatist regime in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Following an expedited “judicial process” in December 2015, Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment and Guliyev – to 22 years in prison.

Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and other agencies have repeatedly urged international organizations, including the ICRC, to assist in release of Guliyev and Asgarov, whilst the problem remains topical yet.