Report on Azerbaijan's failure to return Armenian POWs sent to UNFebruary 16, 2021 - 12:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Human Rights Defender of Armenia on Monday, February 15 sent a detailed report to the UN Human Rights Council, noting that the Azerbaijani authorities are delaying the return of the captives and prisoners of war, and they are grossly violating international mandates and requirements. "The report was sent to the UN Human Rights Council under a separate procedure. Only national human rights institutions with international "A" status have this opportunity," Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan reports. "The report specifically mentions that the Azerbaijani authorities are abusing legal procedures and politicizing the issue of the repatriation of the POWs. By doing so, they are causing mental suffering to our society and, and foremost, to the families of the captives, and by toying with their emotions they are causing targeted raising of tensions." Tatoyan said the report has been submitted now, taking into account the dates and timing of the scheduled sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. Several dozen Armenian POWs returned from Azerbaijan in mid-December, although Armenian officials said many more people were being held in Baku. Dozens of others, both servicemen and civilians, have been captured after the completion of military hostilities. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said in one of his speeches that the newly detained persons are not prisoners of war but “terrorists”. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan has said, meanwhile, that at least 120 Armenian prisoners of war are being held in Azerbaijan. Sahakyan represents the rights of some of the Karabakh POWs before the European Court of Human Rights. The lawyer said there is enough evidence proving the capture of said persons, which the Armenian side will submit to international agencies and courts. Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. |