Immediate steps must be taken to stop Azerbaijan`s violations of  rights of Armenian prisoners of war

ArmInfo. Immediate steps must be taken to stop Azerbaijan's violations of the rights of Armenian  prisoners of war, as provided for in the Geneva Convention, reads a statement by the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh.

The statement notes that the Committee for the Protection of  Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh is seriously concerned  about recent reports detailing gross violations of the rights of  Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan. In particular, in relation  to the fundamental principle of the right to be free from public  curiosity, enshrined in the Third Geneva Convention relative to the  Treatment of Prisoners of War.

"These actions are not only morally reprehensible, but also directly  contrary to international humanitarian law.

Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention expressly prohibits public  scrutiny of prisoners of war. The public broadcast of videos  depicting prisoners of war in Azerbaijan, according to this  convention, is a gross violation of their right to privacy and  dignity. Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention similarly  prohibits such public demonstrations against civilians. Moreover,  these actions violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,  which affirms the right to privacy and protection from arbitrary  interference with family, home or correspondence," the Committee  emphasized.

It is emphasized that Azerbaijan's broadcast of staged interviews  with Armenian prisoners of war and hostages is a direct violation of  their rights and worsens their already difficult situation.

"Such manipulative tactics by Azerbaijan serve to undermine the  integrity of international humanitarian law and must be unequivocally  condemned by the international community.

In light of these egregious violations, we call on government  officials and human rights organizations to take action to prevent  the future broadcast of videos or interviews with prisoners of war  and hostages. This includes using diplomatic channels, applying  sanctions where necessary, and public shaming to hold Azerbaijan  accountable for its actions.

We strongly emphasize that allowing any rebroadcast of such videos by  other States Parties is not only a flagrant violation of the Third  and Fourth Geneva Conventions, but also a reprehensible disregard for  the basic principles of humanitarian law," the Committee added.

"In addition, we demand that international humanitarian  organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross,  immediately and unimpededly gain access to all places of detention of  Armenian prisoners of war and hostages. This is important for the  proper treatment of these individuals, as provided for by the Geneva  Conventions and other applicable international human rights treaties.

We are ready to work with the international community to eliminate  violations and ensure the protection of the rights of all those  affected by the conflict. We call on all government officials and  international organizations to continue demanding the immediate and  unconditional release of all Armenians held in illegal Azerbaijani  captivity," the Committee concluded.

The Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the People  of Artsakh was created and authorized by a decision of the Artsakh  Parliament of December 2, 2023.