Baku expects Moscow to act on Azerbaijani hostages' issue
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Baku expressed its disillusionment with Moscow's reluctant position in view of Azerbaijani hostages’ situation.
"Russia’s approach towards the Azerbaijani hostages - Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev - has upset Azerbaijan," said Ali Hasanov, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of Azerbaijani State Committee for Refugees and IDPs.
Hasanov said the families of the hostages have appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking him to take all necessary measures for their release, but unfortunately their appeal was met with complete silence by the Kremlin.
As for Hasanov, Moscow's hesitation to demonstrate a decisive stance on the hostages issue is also controversial given the fact that one of the hostages hold Russian citizenship.
"Russia has every right to demand the extradition of its hostage, and at least achieve his transfer to a prison in its territory," he noted.
Despite Azerbaijan's repeated efforts to settle the issue on principles of justice, it has yet to find a final solution, the official added.
Regarding the appeal of the NGOs to the European Court of Human Rights in light of the hostages, Hasanov claimed that no positive outcome would likely come from such an appeal.
"I don’t believe that the European Court and Russia will take the necessary steps to resolve this problem," he said.
"The crux of the problem is also well linked to the huge injustice predominating in the modern world," Hasanov concluded.
Three Azerbaijanis - Hasan Hasanov, Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev - were captured in the Shaplar village of Azerbaijan’s occupied Kalbajar district on July 11, 2014 by the Armenian special forces.
Hasanov was reported killed after enduring brutal torture.
Asgarov and Guliyev were judged in a show trial in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region and subsequently sentenced to life in prison and 22 years imprisonment respectively on trump up charges.
The U.S. urged Armenian leadership to show a humanistic approach in view of the hostages and solve the issue pursuant to human rights principles. The Department of State viewed the captives' release as part of a broad effort to reduce tensions on the Armenia-Azerbaijan contact line.
Moscow also voiced its stance on the captives' issue following U.S. involvement, when Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov revealed his intention to sit for talks over Asgarov's fate - an ethnic Azerbaijani holding Russian citizenship.
After the U.S. officials slammed Yerevan for its stance toward Azerbaijan, the puppet regime in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region said the case of the hostages had been closed permanently.
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