Ombudsman: Armenians being held in Azerbaijan are prisoners of warFebruary 27, 2021 - 14:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has responded to statements from the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev regarding the Armenian captives held in Baku. Tatoyan has stressed that all the Armenian servicemen and civilians being kept by the Azerbaijani side are prisoners of war. Aliyev has said that Baku has returned all Armenian POWs to Yerevan, claiming that all other persons being kept in Azerbaijan are "terrorists and saboteurs." Tatoyan noted on Saturday, February 27 that reliable evidence collected by the Office of the Human Rights Defender confirms that the real number of people captured by Azerbaijan is much bigger than that confirmed by the authorities in Baku. The human rights defender has documented a number of cases when, despite the existence of video recordings and other evidence, the Azerbaijani authorities deny having those persons or delay the approval process. "Criminal prosecution against the Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan, their detention, as well we calling them "terrorists" or "saboteurs" are gross violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights in general," Tatoyan added. According to data provided by the Armenian side, at least 140 Nagorno-Karabakh prisoners of war are being kept in Azerbaijan. 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 | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. 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. |