ArmInfo. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is conducting a confidential dialogue with the Azerbaijani side with the aim of visiting a soldier Araik Ghazaryan, who is currently in Azerbaijan.
Thus, in an interview with ArmInfo correspondent, the head of communication programs of the ICRC delegation in Armenia Zara Amatuni to the question of whether the organization's representatives met with the Armenian prisoner of war and, if so, in what condition, in particular, said: "In connection with this situation, the ICRC within of its mandate and procedures, conducts a confidential dialogue with representatives of the authorities of the parties to organize a meeting with the detainee.
Earlier, the press service of the Artsakh Defense Army distributed a message according to which on August 12, at about 12:00, soldier Araik Ghazaryan born in 2000 left the defensive site of one of the military units of the Defense Army, deployed in the southeast direction. Later, the Azerbaijani media reported with reference to the military department of Azerbaijan that the soldier is on their territory. Armenian Minister of Defense David Tonoyan expressed confidence that the serviceman appeared on the Azerbaijani side, as he got lost on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan disseminated information that allegedly the Armenian soldier left his post due to hazing. Light scratches and ordinary scars on Ghazaryan's body are presented as evidence of violence against him. However, the NKR Ministry of Defense denied this information, urging the public not to believe the false accusations of the Azerbaijani side aimed at humiliating the image of the Armenian soldier, and to wait for the ongoing investigation, the results of which will be published. The Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan also addressed the incident, saying that he had talked with the head of the Armenian mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross, where he was informed that the latter had not seen the Armenian soldier in Azerbaijan yet, but steps were being taken in this direction. In turn, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry reported that the mission of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office was informed about the fact that the Azerbaijani side captured a soldier of the Artsakh Republic Army Defense Araik Ghazaryan. According to the Foreign Ministry, Artsakh authorities are making efforts to repatriate prisoner of war Araik Ghazaryan.