Armenian authorities have not received any document from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), saying that Armenian POWs refuse to return to Armenia from Azerbaijan or want to leave for a third country, Armen Kaprielyan, head of a working group at the Armenian Commission on POWs, Missing Person and Hostages, told NEWS.am, commenting on the statement by secretary of relevant Azerbaijani commission Shahin Sailov.

“We have not received any notification from the ICRC. I must say that international humanitarian law based on 4 Geneva conventions and adjacent protocols permits leaving for a third country. It is individual’s right. Even if the statement is true, which I doubt, we guarantee that those people would not face negative attitude in Armenia and can leave for a third country,” Kaprielyan stated.

However, he considers Sailov’s statement strange in the light of recent processes. “Despite Armenian authorities are ready to keep on cooperating with relevant Azerbaijani agencies,” Kaprielyan noted.  He did not rule out possibility that Sailov’s statement is aimed at blocking exchange of POWs.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, 6 Armenian POWs and a 5-member family are presently in the territory of Azerbaijan. Yeghishe, Ruzanna, Alfred, Gayane and Petros Gevorgyans crossed the border this January.

Servicemen Hrant Markosyan, Alik Tevosyan, Arthur Sargsyan, Ohan Harutunyan, Gevorg Tovmasyan and Karen Harutunyan are in Azerbaijani captivity.