Human Rights Watch alarms  the unauthorized appeal of Azerbaijan with  Armenian prisoners of war

ArmInfo. From the Azerbaijani Forces, there was a unauthorized treatment with Armenian prisoners of war, captured during the autumn fights in  Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, said today Human Rights Watch.  

Thus, in the multi-page text, published on the site of the human rights  organization, it is noted that episodes of the ill and degrading  dignity and torture occurred both immediately after capturing and  during transportation in various locations in custody and in these  places themselves.  Azerbaijani authorities should investigate all  implications of unauthorized treatment and attract responsibility.  They should also immediately free all the remaining prisoners of war  and captured civilians and make public information about the location  of those military and civil, which are known that the last time they  were seen in the power of the Azerbaijani side.  

"These disorders up to torture, which Armenian prisoners were  subjected to, cause indignation and are a war crime - deeply worrying  and the fact that Baku has not yet been reported to the fate of a  number of Armenian soldiers who were missing after they were seen  captured Azerbaijani forces, "says the director of Human Rights Watch  in Europe and Central Asia Hugh Williamson.  Human Rights Watch  interviewed four former prisoners of war, in detail those who told  about the unauthorized appeal to captivity, which they themselves  were exposed and witnesses they were. All our interlocutors told  about long and repeated beatings. One stated that he was plenty of a  sharp iron rod, one told about how he was tortured, one - about  repeatedly causing burns to his burns. The first days after entering  captivity, all of them were kept in the humiliating human dignity  conditions, C with them severely treated, almost did not give water  and almost or did not feed.  In social networks there are many videos  with personnel of presumably mockery of Azerbaijani servicemen over  Armenian prisoners.

HRW has been carefully studied and verified over 20 such videos,  including interviewing recently returned prisoners and family members  of those who are present in the frame, but have not yet returned  home. The organizations also familiarized themselves with various  medical documents.  The stories about torture and unauthorized  treatment are concerned that the risk of unauthorized circulation  remains for the Azerbaijani side of the Azerbaijani side of Armenian  prisoners. 

The authorities of Azerbaijan should provide prisoners and other  seduced persons all guarantees provided for by international norms on  human rights and humanitarian law, including the prohibition of  torture and unauthorized circulation.  Armed conflict around  Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan sharply aggravated on  September 27, 2020, when Azerbaijani forces began a large-scale  offensive. Military actions ended on November 10 by the signing of a  tripartite agreement on the cease-fire with the participation of  Russia. Among other things, the document provided for "the exchange  of prisoners of war, hostages and other held persons and bodies of  the victims." The exact number of Armenian prisoners of war remaining  in the authorities of the Azerbaijani side remains unclear. By the  end of February, the representative office of Armenia under the  European Court of Human Rights was requested about the direction of  the Azerbaijani authorities of the representations of 240 allegedly  proven prone and held civilians. Approximately 90% of such cases,  according to the representative office, they presented photologia and  video materials confirming the fact of finding a person in the power  of the Azerbaijani side.  

The leadership of Armenia declares that Azerbaijan returned 69  prisoners of war and captured civilians. Azerbaijani President Ilham  Aliyev argues that all prisoners of war are returned to the Armenian  side, but about 60 people remain in custody as suspects in terrorism.   Human Rights Watch does not have the ability to check out the  statements of both parties regarding the number of remaining  persisted persons and their status.  On February 24, the Armenian  Foreign Ministry in Yerevan said organizations that relatives "the  farther, the more falling into despair" regarding the fate of their  loved ones, especially taking into account the numerous trustworthy  stories about the ill-treatment of prisoners.  All four former  prisoners of war, which were interviewed by HRW were captured after  injured. In the organization documented one episode when the  Azerbaijani officer provided first aid to the Armenian soldier. In  another episode, the Azerbaijani officer gave a prisoner anesthetic.   One of HRW's interlocutors told how the commander forbade  subordinates to beat the prisoners, but the unauthorized appeal was  continued in those moments when he was not nearby.  International  humanitarian law, or the right of armed conflict, obliges the warring  parties under any circumstances to handle the prisoners of war. 

The Third Geneva Convention on the handling of prisoners of war  requires to protect them "especially from any acts of violence or  intimidation, from the insults and curiosity of the crowd."  Azerbaijan is also obliged to comply with the unconditional  prohibition of torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment,  which is enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and  Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights (the  state is a member of both contracts).  "We collected evidence and got  acquainted with visual materials about the lengthy and repeated  beatings of Armenian prisoners of war, the sole purpose of which,  apparently, was to humiliate and punish these people, torture and  bullying the prisoners are war crimes, and the guilty should be as  soon as possible. By responsibility, "says Hugh Williamson.  The full  text of the documented torture and bad treatment you can find below:   https://www.hrw.org/ru/news/2021/03/19/378256.