“It’s good, the mood is high”: One of the returnees from captivity is from Shirak

Yesterday, one of the three servicemen who returned home from Azerbaijani captivity is 22-year-old Samvel Shukyan, a resident of Shirak Province. The reservist, who participated in the 44-day war, was captured after the three-party ceasefire statement signed in November.

Samvel Shukyan’s aunt, Gohar Darbinyan, told Azatutyun that he underwent a medical examination and has no serious health problems: “He is very good, happy, his mood is high, very good. We are also very happy. He was taken to the hospital, he underwent a medical examination, everything is normal.”

Mrs. Gohar mentioned that Samvel’s mother only learned about her son’s capture yesterday. The news had been carefully concealed from her: “The feelings we had were tormenting; his mom was not aware, she didn’t know until the end; yesterday evening she only found out. The child came, and we just told her, then she knew. His mom thought he was digging trenches in Artsakh.”

Samvel Shukyan was captured along with his fellow soldiers in Khzraberd, when the large-scale war had already ended. Throughout the war, the young man from Shirak was in Jabrail, returned home, and was called back to service: “We are very grateful to our God; He brought our child back; no one but God, and we will also express great gratitude to Muradov, he will be dealing with our boys.”

After the three-party statement, the Azerbaijani official position does not regard the soldiers captured from Khzraberd and Hin Tagher villages as prisoners of war, but rather characterizes them as terrorists. According to official data, 72 captives have returned, and a Lebanese-Armenian woman has also returned to Beirut.

According to the Armenian side, around 200 Armenian prisoners of war and civilians are still being held in captivity in Azerbaijan. The office of the representative of the Government of Armenia at the European Court of Human Rights reports that there are currently decisions about 188 individuals at the Strasbourg court. Legal expert Igor Mirzakhanyan from the office reported that as of March 10, the European court had decided to deal with 249 captives' cases, but since some of them have returned home, the ECHR is now addressing 188 captives' issues. However, Baku has only confirmed information about 72, which it states are held in Azerbaijani prisons.

“We have a decision regarding 188 individuals, but in order to consider that these people are in captivity, we must have official confirmation from the Azerbaijani side to the court. Meanwhile, you know that there are decisions, but there is no cooperation from Azerbaijan and no sufficient information provided to the court, and in this regard, the court decided on March 9 to address the issue of non-compliance with its decisions to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,” said Igor Mirzakhanyan.