ArmInfo. Armenia's Defense Minister David Tonoyan and personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk discussed the situation related to the violation of the rights of prisoner of war Gurgen Alaverdyan today in a telephone conversation. Press secretary of the Ministry of Defense Shushan Stepanyan announced this on her Facebook page.
She noted that during the conversation David Tonoyan drew Kasprzyk's attention to the fact that today the Azerbaijani media distributed a video recording with the participation of the Armenian serviceman Gurgen Alaverdyan. Moreover, earlier the Azerbaijani side published another video with Alaverdyan's participation. Tonoyan noted that the above videos are a gross violation of international law, as well as international humanitarian law.
The Minister of Defense of Armenia stressed that the Geneva Convention guarantees the protection of the rights of prisoners of war, as well as the right to respect for their honor and dignity, which excludes humiliation of a person, regardless of the conditions and in what area he was under the jurisdiction of the opposite side. The postscript of the press secretary's entry reads: "It is obvious that the serviceman Gurgen Avetisyan under duress reads a prepared text written in bad Armenian."
To note, earlier the Azerbaijani media reported on the presentation of charges under five articles against Armenian officer Gurgen Alaverdyan, who was in Azerbaijani captivity. Criminal cases were initiated under Art. 100.2 (waging an aggressive war), 276 (espionage), 279.1 (creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law), 228.1 (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation, carrying of firearms, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices) and 318.1 (Illegal State Border Crossing) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.
To recall, as ArmInfo previously reported with reference to the Armenian Ministry of Defense, on August 22 at 7:30pm, officer Gurgen Alaverdyan got lost on the ground due to unfavorable weather conditions while checking combat positions. The RA Defense Ministry also denied the information circulated in the Azerbaijani media about the attempted sabotage penetration by the RA Armed Forces, as a result of which Alaverdyan was allegedly captured. The Armenian Defense Ministry also reported that an official check is underway to clarify all the circumstances of the incident.
Naira Zohrabyan, an Armenian lawmaker from the Prosperous Armenia opposition faction, has already reported on her Facebook page that she has applied to international human rights organizations in connection with the gross violation of the rights of officer Gurgen Alaverdyan by the Azerbaijani side.