ICRC holds a confidential dialogue with the Azerbaijani side to visit  Armenian prisoner of war Araik Ghazaryan

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.