Vigen Was 95 kg, Now 45 kg: Asked Mother to Save Him from Death During Phone Call, Says Takhouhi Tovmasyan

What kind of torture must a captive Armenian have endured in Baku to plead with his mother to save him and free him from death? The inhumanity of official Baku knows no moral bounds. This was stated by Takhouhi Tovmasyan, the Chair of the Permanent Committee on Human Rights Protection and Public Affairs of the Armenian National Assembly, in a post on her Facebook page.

She also noted, “Since the capture of Vigen Euljekyan by Azerbaijani soldiers on November 10, 2020, his wife, Linda Euljekyan, has reported that the captive Vigen is being subjected to beatings, torture, inhumane and cruel treatment and is in urgent need of assistance. Just one week ago, Vigen spoke with his mother, who insists that her son’s life is in danger due to illness and refusal to eat. Vigen was 95 kg but has lost weight drastically and is now only 45 kg. During the phone call, he begged his mother to save him and free him from death.

These Azerbaijani crimes completely violate the prohibitions outlined in the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, concerning the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Specifically, the Convention states that prisoners of war must always be treated humanely. Any act or negligence by the capturing state that leads to the death of a prisoner of war or puts the health of a prisoner at serious risk is prohibited and will be considered a serious violation of this Convention.

The capturing state is obligated to provide for the maintenance of prisoners of war free of charge, including medical assistance as required by their health condition. The daily basic food ration must be of adequate quality, quantity, and variety to ensure the good health of prisoners of war and to prevent weight loss or phenomena related to insufficient food.

The capturing state is responsible for the treatment of prisoners of war. Therefore, I have sent urgent letters to international competent entities, demanding specific actions and a targeted assessment regarding the situation of Armenian captive Vigen Euljekyan, asking them to exert maximum effort to expedite the repatriation process of Armenian prisoners of war to free them from cruel, inhumane treatment and torture, and requesting assistance in organizing a phone conversation between me and Vahe Euljekyan.

Once again, I alert international organizations that the repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians is an obligation for Azerbaijan set forth by the Geneva Convention, and there is an urgent need for direct intervention from the international community to protect the right to life of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians. Act, while it is still not too late!