Azerbaijan hopes to win release of its hostages, Armenia still violates int'l norms
By Jamila Babayeva
The occupied territories of Kalbajar region is in the spotlight once again, as the fate of three Azerbaijanis, taken hostage by Armenians here remains unknown.
The Armenian media has spread information as well as photos and videos of the Azerbaijani citizens taken hostage in the region, which has been under Armenian occupation since 1993. The three civilians are reported by Armenian media as being members of Azerbaijani armed forces. However, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that this reports were untrue.
The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People is taking all the necessary measures to help the missing Azerbaijanis.
The commission reported that the persons taken hostage, are under the protection of the Geneva Conventions adopted on August 12, 1949 and they must be treated within the framework of these international documents.
"The Armenian Defense Ministry says that the detainees are not war prisoners. These civilians grew up in the occupied Azerbaijani territories by Armenia. They were visiting the graves of their late fathers and grandfathers when Armenian forces arrested them. Now, they should be treated in accordance with the requirements of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. The fourth paragraph of this Convention clearly states this point. The issue has also been brought to the attention of relevant international organizations," the commission said.
The commission stated that people taken hostage in the territory of Kalbajar region didn't infringe any state's boundaries because they were within the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan as recognized by the UN.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry rejected Armenia's claim that those arrested had violated its sovereignty.
"The occupied territories are Azerbaijan's sovereign lands. So Azerbaijanis' passing to these territories and their free movement there don't amount to violation of law," the ministry reported.
"The lands which have been under the control of an illegally established "fake" regime are in fact the territories of Azerbaijan," the Ministry said in response to the Armenian media allegations, made with reference to Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan's claims regarding Azerbaijan's acts of sabotage.
"This is absolutely groundless," the Ministry noted.
The ministry also said, Azerbaijani armed forces can perform any mission and conduct any operation without the involvement of its civilians.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross is negotiating with the involved parties.
The Committee of Protecting the Rights of Azerbaijanis (reportedly Russian citizen Dilgam Ahmadov and Azerbaijani citizens Shahbaz Guliyev and Hasan Hasanov) taken hostage by Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani region of Kalbajar, has already appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group, UN and other international organizations to adopt urgent measures to release the hostages.
Committee Member Elhan Salahov said the three Azerbaijanis were visiting the graves of their relatives on July 10 before being detained by Armenian forces.
"They did not violate any border law between Armenia and Azerbaijan because they were in their native land. As a result of Armenian aggression, the rights of Azerbaijanis are violated on a daily bases and they are deprived of normal movement in their own lands," he said during a press conference on July 17.
MP Aydin Mirzazade in turn said taking Azerbaijani civilians as hostages by the Armenians is a violation of international legal norms.
The committee urged international organizations to monitor closely the conditions of hostages Dilgam Ahmadov, Shahbaz Guliyev and Hasan Hasanov and make the arrangements for their immediate return to their homes.
Also, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that it would examine the issue related to capture of its citizen Dilgam Akhmadov as a hostage by the Armenian side in the occupied Kelbajar region.
"We do not have any official information about this. We will press ahead with our own investigation and if confirmed, the ministry will react duly," the ministry told Trend news agency.