Four Armenian citizens tortured in Azeri captivity

PanARMENIAN.Net - Four Armenian citizens are subjected to tortures in Azerbaijan, said colonel Arshak Karapetyan, deputy chief of the RA armed forces general staff.



"We possess information that they are being physically and psychologically suppressed. The Azeri side wants to compel confession from captives that they are guerillas and planned a diversion in Azerbaijan," colonel Karapetyan said, adding, "We never leave our citizens in trouble. Sooner or later they will all return to homeland."



"Azeris do not keep in contact, making further talks impossible. If they want to change the rules, we will accept that and our response will be resolute," he said.



For his part, RA Defense Minister's spokesman, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan said that Azeris do not have any legal ground to accuse Armenian citizens of a diversion attempt. "They try to substantiate the arrest of our citizens by a law and allege that Armenians were detained according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's legislation," he said.



"Actually, thirteen young men wanted a showdown with the commander of a friend. After the commander fired into the air they got into cars. Four of them (originally from Noraduz and Gavar) crossed the border accidentally. A criminal case was initiated," colonel Shahsuvaryan concluded, Novosti Armenia reports.