Captured Armenian soldier’s family asks President for help

Captured Armenian soldier’s family asks President for help

PanARMENIAN.Net - The family of Armenian serviceman Hakob Injighulyan, who has been held captive by Azerbaijan since Aug 8, has addressed RA President Serzh Sarsgyan and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan with a request.

The letter published on a Facebook page created to contribute to the soldier’s release, says in part: “We know that Russian President Vladimir Putin accompanied by the Defense Minister and other high-ranking officials, will be in Baku. We are asking you to contact your Russian counterparts to discuss the issue and help release of our soldier… As to the so-called interview, we can firmly say that Hakob was scared and only uttered the text dictated to him.”

On Aug 12, Azeri media outlets spread an ‘interview’ Injighulyan gave to ANS channel.

On the night of Aug 8, Injighulyan, born in 1991, failed to find his bearings on the ground and crossed into the Azeri-controlled territory. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have not been granted access to the captive yet.

In the video, Injighulyan tells that he was “having dinner with the other soldiers, when the officer ordered him to fetch some water.” “I said that I am tired and will go and bring the water later but he hit me in the eye in response. I could not tolerate humiliation and offence any longer and crossed into the Azerbaijani territory,” he allegedly said.

Meanwhile, just a couple of days ago Shahin Sailov, the Secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, said “it was clarified that the Armenian got lost and crossed into the territory controlled by Azerbaijani armed forces.”

“Azerbaijan again resorts to its “favorite” methods. But we would like to repeat once again that our citizen will bear no legal responsibility after he returns to Armenia,” Armenian Defense Ministry’s spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

It’s worth reminding that on September 11, 2010, Armenian shepherd, resident of Ttujur village of Gegharkunik province Manvel Saribekyan was captured by the Azeri forces. Several days later, the same ANS channel aired an interview, which, according to experts, contained elements of psychological and physical pressure.

On the night of October 5, Saribekyan allegedly committed suicide. The Azeri investigators said he used his shirt and sheet to hang himself. However, when the body was transferred to the Armenian side, the examination revealed numerous traces of torture.

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