Defense Ministry concerned over ICRC failure to visit Armenian captive

PanARMENIAN.Net - Despite their mandate and power, members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Baku have not been granted access to Armenian captive Hakob Injighulyan, the RA Defense Ministry said, voicing concerns over the fact.

The Ministry also said that during the so-called ''interview'' with an Azerbaijani news agency Injighulyan was dressed in Azerbaijani uniform “to understand the difference between the Armenian and Azerbaijani uniforms” which was aimed to put moral and phycological pressure on him and abuse his dignity.

This comes in violation of numerous provisions of Geneva Conventions: Particularly, Article 13 of the Geneva Conventions. (III) constitutes that POWs “…must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity” by the detaining power. In other words, the detaining power has to keep a Person under the protection from the curiosity of media and has to prevent the publication of images and videos in which this person can be recognized.

Further, the commentary of Article 27 Geneva Convention (III) states that “…Prisoners may in no case be obliged to wear the uniform of the Detaining Power if they consider that their honor does not so permit”.

Article 7, Geneva Convention (III) says that persons under protection “… in no circumstances renounce in part or in entirety the rights secured to them by the present Convention…”.

“The Armenian authorities have been informed by the ICRC that its Baku office is pursuing its efforts to visit Hakob Gevorg Injighulyan through its ongoing dialogue with the detaining power. Hopefully the ICRC will succeed preventing any unwanted consequences,” the Defense Ministry said, mentioning the deaths of Armenian citizens Gor Manasaryan and Manvel Saribekyan who were killed in Azerbaijani captivity.

The Armenian Commission on POWs, detainees and missing in action expressed concern about the situation and asked the ICRC to strengthen its efforts to visit Injighulyan.