Azerbaijan Delays the Exchange of Prisoners and Bodies, Continues Cruel Treatment: Human Rights Defender

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia appeals to the international community and calls upon particularly international organizations in the field of human rights to pay decisive attention to the issue that the Azerbaijani authorities are artificially delaying the processes of returning Armenian prisoners and exchanging bodies both during and after the military operations.

According to the Human Rights Defender's office, Azerbaijani authorities justify these delays by arguing that the exchange of prisoners will take place only after the exchange of bodies is completed, while the body exchange process itself is prolonged without justification.

With these actions, Azerbaijan is grossly violating fundamental requirements guaranteed by the Geneva Conventions.

It is evident that Azerbaijan intends to deliberately create an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension within Armenian society, disrupting the mental integrity of the community, causing psychological suffering to the families of deceased servicemen and prisoners.

The observations made by the Human Rights Defender indicate that this is a result of an orchestrated campaign of hatred and an inseparable part of a systematic policy of torture and inhumane treatment.

Specifically, since September 27, 2020, the Human Rights Defender has consistently recorded that attacks by Azerbaijani armed forces against Armenia and Artsakh have been accompanied by torture and inhumane treatment, massive destruction of civilian settlements, and other gross violations of human rights, which have occurred with the involvement of mercenary jihadists and terrorists, as well as organized hatred.

Throughout the military operations and after their completion, Azerbaijani sources in media and especially social media have continuously published videos and photos showing how Azerbaijani armed forces desecrate the bodies of Armenian servicemen and torture and humiliate captured soldiers and civilians.

These actions are accompanied by ecstatic commentary from Azerbaijan (evidence of these conclusions has been documented). This has been an inherent part of the methods employed by Azerbaijan during the war in September-November 2020.

It has been evident throughout the military operations that Azerbaijani authorities encourage these atrocities and humiliations aimed at inflaming hatred and enmity against ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan, glorifying those who perpetrate them.

The findings of the Human Rights Defender confirm that these abhorrent phenomena, which are unfathomable to human imagination and contradict all international demands, have a systematic and widespread nature, starting from political authorities to cultural and sports figures.

The Human Rights Defender also possesses necessary evidence to confirm these facts.

After the end of military operations, the tortures and inhumane treatment of captured Armenians by Azerbaijani armed forces have taken on new manifestations, with a notable increase in their number, scale, and severity of brutality.

It is clear that those committing torture and atrocities, as well as those filming these acts, are representatives of the Azerbaijani armed forces whose actions are only encouraged.

In the current circumstances, the release of prisoners and ensuring their safe return, as well as the exchange of bodies, has become a matter that requires urgent solutions.

Therefore, I appeal to the international community and especially to foreign organizations with mandates for the protection of human rights: It is necessary to urgently address this issue with the utmost possible means and real actions to free people from one of the gravest war crimes and inhumane, cruel captivity.