Captured serviceman’s father says “our son is in enemy’s hands”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Family members of the captured Armenian serviceman Hakob Injighulyan have gathered in front of the Yerevan office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to call for prompt measures to promote his release.

Commenting on the ‘interview’ gave to Injighulyan gave to ANS Azeri channel, his father, Gevorg Injighulyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter: “This was nothing but a show organized by Azerbaijan. A son brought up by me could never say such things willfully. He was always pleased the command and the officers were satisfied with his service. He never came into conflict and was granted a leave twice.”

“Now, Hakob is not that in another country, he is in the hands of the enemy,” he added.

Presently, there are some 30 people at the ICRC office.

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 spread by the Azeri media outlets 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.