Ombudswoman calls int'l organizations to react to torture of Azerbaijani POWs

Azerbaijani Ombudswoman Sabina Aliyeva called on international organizations to react to the videos of the torture of Azerbaijani servicemen by Armenians, Azernews reports.

Addressing the international community, the ombudswoman informed them that a few days ago, there were reports that two servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army went missing in the border area with Armenia due to unfavorable weather conditions, and the Armenian side confirmed that they were detained.

“In the videos and photos released today in the mass media of Armenia, the torture and other inhumane acts against the Azerbaijani military serviceman, contrary to international documents, are clearly confirmed. Thus, in the circulated video, an Azerbaijani military serviceman is being beaten with his hands tied, and his dignity is being humiliated,” the human rights commissioner stated.

Furthermore, she called on Armenia to comply with the demands it undertakes under international law. She also underlined that according to the III Geneva Convention "On the Treatment of Prisoners of War", persons not directly participating in hostilities must be treated humanely in all cases, and prisoners of war must always be protected from acts of violence and threats.

“I demand from the representative office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Armenia to urgently visit that military personnel and provide information about their condition,” Aliyeva stressed.

Meanwhile, the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case on the matter under Article 115.2 (torturing, cruel, or inhuman treatment of captives) of the Criminal Code.

The Prosecutor General’s Office noted that measures are being taken to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators of the crime.

Earlier, Azerbaijan's State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Citizens of Azerbaijan issued a statement that the Commission, with other relevant state bodies, continues the necessary search work and investigation in connection with the military servicemen of Azerbaijan’s Defense MinistryAgshin Babirov (born in 2004) and Huseyn Akhundov (born in 2003) who went missing due to limited visibility under adverse weather conditions in the border area of the Shahbuz district of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with Armenia.