Armenian Soldiers Abducted from Armenia Deprived of Video Communication with Relatives

According to reports, Harutyun Hovagimyan and Karen Ghazaryan, who have been sentenced to 11.5 years in prison in Baku, have been denied the opportunity to communicate with their families via video call. This was stated by Zara Amatuni, head of communication programs for the Armenian representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

She clarified that the ICRC representatives last visited Armenian individuals held in Azerbaijan at the end of June and the beginning of July.

“Regarding video messages or phone calls and letters, of course, everyone has been given the opportunity to do this, except for the two Armenian soldiers who were recently captured,” Amatuni said.

She explained that the two Armenian soldiers abducted by Azerbaijanis on May 26 have only been allowed to communicate with their families via letters through the ICRC.

Amatuni noted that they are currently clarifying the reasons for this restriction with the authorities in Baku, but did not specify the particular topics being discussed or with whom. She also stated that the exchange of letters is a prerequisite; however, it is the prosecuting party that decides whether the detainees can communicate with their families via video or phone calls.

Regarding the possible exchange of Hovagimyan and Ghazaryan with Azerbaijanis, Amatuni said, “Our humanitarian, neutral, and impartial mandate does not allow us to answer such questions.”

On July 7, the Sumgait court sentenced the Armenian soldiers abducted by Azerbaijanis, Hovagimyan and Ghazaryan, to 11 years and 6 months of imprisonment.