Armenian Defense Minister admits existence of Azerbaijani hostages in Armenia
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
For many years Armenians have been in denial about their country’s policy of aggression against Azerbaijan.
Having the habit to describe themselves as victims, Armenians cannot face the fact that their armed forces killed thousands of Azerbaijani civilians, including women and children, and expelled around one million people from their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions.
Official Yerevan has also been denying the existence of Azerbaijani hostages in Armenia. Until recently, when Armenian Defence Minister, through the slip of tongue, hinted at the existence of Azerbaijani hostages in this country.
Thus, when local reporters asked David Tonoyan about Baku’s offer to exchange prisoners on the principle of “all for all,” Tonoyan replied that he could not yet reveal the details. The most interesting thing happened later. When reporters said that there are three citizens of Armenia in Azerbaijan, but Baku claims two citizens, Tonoyan answered: "There are also a little more Azerbaijanis in Armenia."
Azerbaijan military circles are well aware that the Armenian authorities and the illegal regime in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh are carefully hiding data on the fate of hundreds, maybe even thousands of Azerbaijani citizens in Armenian captivity.
In 2018, Madat Quliyev, ex-head of the State Security Service in an interview with local media reported that 871 Azerbaijanis are still in captivity and held hostages. However, Yerevan denies that so many Azerbaijani citizens are held captive. Armenians hide them not only from the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan but also from the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international human rights organizations.
Azerbaijanis are still held as prisoners of war and slaves in special camps in Armenia. Armenian General Manvel Gerigoryan has even publicly said that he has been keeping an Azerbaijani slave in his home for many years.
Thus, all international legal norms are grossly violated, as well as the requirements of the 1949 Geneva Convention on the Protection of War Victims as attempted murder or personal injury, murder or mutilation in any conditions, ill-treatment or torture, or insulting human dignity.
The torture, murder and inhuman treatment of thousands of innocent Azerbaijanis captured and taken hostage is one of the most terrible bloody pages of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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