The NKR State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing Persons and Hostages issued a statement condemning Baku’s attempts to politicize the issue on hostages and prisoners of war.

The Azerbaijani authorities use the captives of the Armenian nationality to achieve their agitation objectives, the statement reads.

The captives tell Azerbaijani media about “unbearable conditions of the Armenian army and good life in Azerbaijan”. The statement says their conduct is a result of physical and psychological pressure by the Azerbaijani intelligence.  

Cynically using the Armenian war prisoners, the Azerbaijani authorities violate norms of international human rights law, in particular the norms of the Geneva Convention which defines humanitarian protections for civilians in a war zone.

 “The NKR State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing Persons and Hostages strongly condemns Baku’s politicization of the humanistic issue on war prisoners and hostages,” the statement concludes.