Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statement on Violation of Rights of Soldier Gurgen Alaverdyan

We strongly condemn the degrading treatment of soldier Gurgen Alaverdyan, who found himself under Azerbaijani law enforcement on August 22, which constitutes a flagrant and gross violation of international humanitarian law. This is stated in a message released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

By publicly violating Gurgen Alaverdyan's dignity, Azerbaijan is rejecting the right recognized by civilized humanity for prisoners of war to "be treated with respect for their person and honor under any circumstances," as enshrined in the Geneva Convention III. Such behavior is characteristic of notorious terrorist groups and, as can be observed, also of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani authoritarian regime, which feeds its own people with crude propaganda and anti-Armenian sentiments, has descended to a level where it conceals the serious failures of its army in the July battles with fabricated narratives imposed on the prisoner of war.

The fact that Azerbaijan is one of the few countries that refuses to ratify all the additional protocols related to the Geneva Conventions further attests to its disregard for international humanitarian law. Azerbaijan's continuous violations of international humanitarian law seriously disrupt the establishment of an environment conducive to peace.