Anna Naghdalyan's Comment on the Human Rights Watch Report

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Anna Naghdalyan, has provided a commentary on the report by Human Rights Watch, which we present below.

“Human Rights Watch has documented widespread war crimes committed against Armenian prisoners of war. As stated in the Human Rights Watch report, violations of international humanitarian law by Azerbaijan occurred throughout the captivity of prisoners of war and civilian hostages, accompanied by cruel and degrading treatment and torture.

The report establishes that many Armenian soldiers were last seen in captivity in Azerbaijan, yet Azerbaijan has not reported on their status. This indicates a high probability of large-scale enforced disappearances not only among military personnel but also among captured civilians.

The ongoing captivity of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages four months after the ceasefire clearly demonstrates that Azerbaijan continues to violate international humanitarian law. Given that the cruel treatment and torture of Armenian prisoners of war indicate a systematic nature, the ongoing captivity, the degrading treatment, and the torture of these prisoners may amount to crimes against humanity.”