Naira Zohrabyan urged for Artak Zeynalyan to be barred from human  rights protection

ArmInfo.Artak Zeynalyan, a representative of the "Republic" party and a human rights activist, should be restricted from engaging in human rights protection activities following his recent statement about  the detention  conditions of Armenian prisoners in Baku. This is how Naira Zohrabyan, a former member of the National Assembly of Armenia and a public and political figure expressed  her disagreement with Zeynalyan's claim that the living conditions of Armenian prisoners held in Baku "have significantly improved." 

In this regard, Zohrabyan recalled the torture inflicted on former  State Minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan, which was documented and  reported by the Eastern Partnership civil society forum.   Specifically, Vardanyan had iron fastened to his head and tightened,  and he was tortured. Additionally, Zohrabyan recalled the widely  circulated photographs of the third President of Artsakh Bako  Sahakyan, who is missing his front teeth. She posed a rhetorical  question: does Zeynalyan truly believe that such conditions represent  a significant improvement in the treatment of the prisoners?

The politician pointed out that Zeynalyan cannot make such statements  due to his lack of connections with the prisoners or other reliable  sources for obtaining such information. Zohrabyan emphasized that by  saying these words, Zeynalyan actually shifted responsibility away  from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for the crimes committed.  "After making such a statement, human rights organizations should  raise the issue that individuals who make such statements should not  be allowed to be involved in the protection of human rights," she  added. 

Zohrabyan also highlighted that Azerbaijan has submitted a request to  withdraw from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).  She described this a dangerous trend that could result in the loss of  the ability to communicate with prisoners of war. She  mentioned  Azerbaijan's efforts to portray Armenia as the real criminal state   in international courts, noting that the reckless actions of Armenian  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are aggravating the situation and may  have serious consequences for the country.