Ombudsman, lawyers urge against manipulating Armenian PoW issueDecember 8, 2021 - 14:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan and human rights lawyers Siranush Sahakyan and Artak Zeynalyan have strongly urged top Armenian officials to refrain from making public statements on such sensitive issues as the prisoners of war, still being held in Azerbaijan. The joint statement came after a leaked video showed Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan describing the captives as "deserters" and saying that to him "the captives do not exist". Tatoyan, Sahakyan and Zeynalyan urged officials against manipulating the matter for political or other purposes, as Azerbaijan uses all that before international organizations, including the judiciary, to the detriment of the rights of Armenian captives. The three also said that Simonyan was filmed making claims about the PoWs that contradict the report "The Responsibility of Azerbaijan for Inhuman Treatment and Torture of Armenian captives", prepared by Tatoyan, Sahakyan and Zeynalyan and published in September. A video began to spread on Telegram channels on Tuesday, showing Simonyan at an event and speaking to an unidentified person, accusing the captives of laying down arms and surrendering, and claiming that they "no longer exist" for him. The President of the National Assembly went on to describe the PoWs as "deserters". Later in the day, an extended version of the video featured Simonyan saying: "If I have to lose Syunik, Sisian because of the captives, I'm sorry for saying this, I think they (the PoWs - Ed.) no longer exist". He also said that the government will nonetheless bring back the captives and added that "the whole country cannot be held hostage to the issue." 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 | 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. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” Ex-President: Only removal of “defeatist” rulers can save Armenia Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. |