The Human Rights Defender of Armenia launched a study right after the release of news about an officer of the Armed Forces of Armenia finding himself in Azerbaijan, as reported the Public Relations Department of the Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.
The videos released by Azerbaijani servicemen showing Gurgen Alaverdyan have been examined and are posted on YouTube and on various Azerbaijani websites.
The study of the videos attests to the gross violations of the officer’s internationally enshrined rights. In particular, in the videos, Gurgen Alaverdyan is handcuffed and surrounded by Azerbaijani servicemen. The officer of the Armed Forces of Armenia is shown with a winter hat that completely covers his eyes. Gurgen Alverdyan is surrounded by Azerbaijani servicemen who are making degrading statements, acting ironically, constantly humiliating the honor and dignity of an officer, and all the videos are targeted against Gurgen Alaverdyan’s ethnic belonging, that is, with overt hate speech.
The Geneva Conventions guarantee the right of prisoners of war to respect for honor and dignity which rules out any type of humiliation. Therefore, the behavior of the Azerbaijani servicemen in the videos is gross violations of the rights of Gurgen Alaverdyan.
It is necessary to state that the Azerbaijani soldiers’ gross violations of rights are a result of Gurgen Alaverdyan getting confused and finding himself in the territory of Azerbaijan.
What is also strictly condemnable is the fact that the mentioned videos are being widely disseminated on Azerbaijani TV stations, particularly, Rahmanzade TV, Yeni Avaz TV, WEST NEWS TV, Beynelxalq Info, Hərbi TV and other television stations.
Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan today addressed international human rights organizations, stating the gross violations of Gurgen Alaverdyan’s rights, as well as the gross violations of international humanitarian law.
The Ombudsman has also addressed an inquiry to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, which has additionally clarified that on August 22 at around 7:30 officer Gurgen Alaverdyan, who had gone to the military post to check it, got confused and lost due to strictly unfavorable climate.
The Ombudsman, as well as his representative are constantly in contact with Gurgen Alaverdyan’s family, as well as the relevant international organizations.
H/T News.am