YEREVAN. – The Ministry of Defense (MOD) of Armenia does not believe in the veracity of the statements which Azerbaijani media have attributed to Armenian prisoner of war Hakob Injighulyan. 

The statements are not true, Armenian Defense Minister’s Press Secretary Artsrun Hovhannisyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.   

“Hakob Injighulyan had no problems, or incidents, during his [military] service. On the contrary, he always received awards from the command,” Hovhannisyan noted.

He added that Injighulyan’s relatives likewise attest to the aforesaid.     

To note, Azerbaijani media have alleged that Injighulyan had refused to return to Armenia claiming that he was being persecuted in the Armenian army. The Azerbaijani media also asserted that Injighulyan had petitioned the Azerbaijani authorities, with a request to transfer him to a third country.    

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Armenian soldier Hakob Injighulyan (born in 1991) found himself in the territory under the control of the adversary. According to preliminary information, Injighulyan turned up there on August 8 at around 3am, while carrying out his military service, by crossing the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)-Azerbaijan border, and as a result of losing his orientation in the area. He was taken to Azerbaijani capital city Baku the next day. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was able to meet with the Armenian prisoners of war on August 20. To note, Injighulyan was made to wear Azerbaijani military uniform and give several interviews.