YEREVAN. – Representatives of the Baku delegation of the ICRC have not visited [Armenian captive] Gurgen Alaverdyan; now work is underway in that regard. Anna Naghdalyan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia, stated this at a press conference on Wednesday.

"Given the sensitivity of the issue, I cannot provide details," she added.

Naghdalyan recalled, however, that the MFA had issued a statement condemning Azerbaijan’s debasing treatment of the persons who have ended up under its jurisdiction. "It is a gross violation of international humanitarian law," Naghdalyan added.

And when asked about the possibility of captive exchange with Azerbaijan based on the "all for all" precept, the Armenian MFA spokesperson noted that there are no prisoners of war in Armenia. "In Azerbaijan, imaginary accusations are made against people who end up on their side under unconfirmed circumstances, who did not commit a crime. This year alone, two Azerbaijani citizens have ended up under the jurisdiction of Armenia. [But] unlike in Azerbaijan, they are not prosecuted in Armenia, they are not turned into prisoners of war, and their rights are respected. [But] Azerbaijan is trying to have two [Azerbaijani] citizens—the murderers of [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] minor Smbat Tsakanyan—returned [to Azerbaijan] [Editorial: they are serving a respective sentence in Artsakh]. The murder of a minor is a grave crime in any society. I believe the answer is more than clear," Anna Naghdalyan concluded.