World Azerbaijanis have issued a statement on the capture of Azerbaijani servicemen by Armenians.
“We, Azerbaijanis living abroad, regret to inform that soldiers of the Azerbaijani Army Agshin Babirov Gabil, born in 2004, and Huseyn Akhundov Ahliman, born in 2003, who went missing due to limited visibility and bad weather conditions in Shahbuz district of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan along the border with Armenia a few days ago, were captured by Armenia.
Please note that the photos and videos circulated by the mass media of Armenia are clear evidence of tortures and other inhuman actions against an Azerbaijani soldier in blatant violation of international law. One of the videos shows an Azerbaijani soldier being beaten and insulted, while his hands are tied.
According to the Third Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, persons taking no active part in the hostilities shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, and prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence and intimidation and against insults and public curiosity. This fact is yet another evidence of Armenia’s breach of its obligations under the Geneva Convention, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other essential international acts, and widespread ethnic hatred and racial discrimination against Azerbaijanis in that country.
Relevant international organizations must investigate and give a proper assessment to this violence, including the violence committed by Armenia over the past 30 years against Azerbaijani prisoners of war and civilian prisoners, and 3,890 missing Azerbaijanis.
As Azerbaijanis living abroad, we once again strongly condemn this crime and urge the international community to give a legal assessment to the actions of the Armenian government and perpetrators of the crime, and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Azerbaijani military personnel who wandered into the Armenia-controlled area after getting lost in adverse weather conditions.
We demand that the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Armenia urgently visit the captured soldiers and share information about their condition.
We invite the international community to respond to this criminal incident and call on Armenia to fulfill its obligations under international law.”