Captured Soldiers Exceed 13, Most Missing Are Likely Captured: Siranush Sahakyan

On November 16, the number of soldiers captured as a result of Azerbaijani aggression is in fact more than 13; most of the missing are presumed captured, stated human rights defender Siranush Sahakyan, who represents the interests of Armenian prisoners of war in the European Court of Human Rights, in an interview with Sputnik Armenia.

“The data published by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia does not fully correspond to reality. We have already filed complaints related to four individuals, but it is clear that updates will also take place concerning all missing or captured individuals within the framework of interstate complaints,” she noted.

The human rights defenders are in constant contact with the office of the authorized representative dealing with the issue of Armenian prisoners of war. According to Sahakyan, the office has already obtained certain information regarding individuals involved in the defensive battles against the aggression provoked by Azerbaijan on November 16, and soon the issue of new captives will be presented to the European Court within the framework of interstate complaints.

She emphasized that the status of a prisoner of war does not depend on whether the person was captured in their own country’s sovereign territory or in an area occupied by the opponent. However, this distinction is quite significant from the perspective of interstate complaints.

“If there could be some justification for the low international noise regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which could solely be a consequence of Azerbaijani lobbying, such justifications cannot be presented in this case,” the human rights defender stated.