The Human Rights Defender of Armenia has issued the following statement:

“The Human Rights Defender of Armenia welcomes the statement by Human Rights Watch on recording the tortures of Armenian captives in Azerbaijan and considers this an absolutely important step for human rights protection.

Other human rights organizations should follow the example of this human rights organization, and the responses need to serve as a basis for applying measures of liability against the authorities of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani authorities and the armed forces have grossly violated the rights of Armenian servicemen and civilians to life, healthcare, mental and physical immunity and of ownership and the best interests of the child, continue to cause mental suffering by not returning the captives, etc. All this, that is, what the Azerbaijani authorities have committed, are war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The persons and authorities having committed crimes must be subjected to liability. This is an absolute necessity in order to prevent such criminal acts and ensure grounds for peaceful coexistence. Impunity will lead to new and more heinous crimes.”