YEREVAN (Armenpress) — Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan sent an official letter on January 18 to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office over the issue relating to the return of the Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan and the protection of their rights.
“Among other issues the letter also states that the return or release of POWs should be viewed exclusively within the framework of human rights or humanitarian process. The letter addresses both the captured servicemen and civilians.
The return of POWs should be ensured immediately after the end of the military operations. This is a universal demand of international action subject to automatic implementation. Doing the opposite violates the international demands of human rights and the international humanitarian law, including the third Geneva Convention of 1949.
Therefore, point 8th of the November 9 trilateral statement has an autonomous meaning and should act exclusively with an autonomous interpretation. It in no way can be viewed in connection or dependence with the remaining points of the statement,” the Ombudsman said on Facebook.
Tatoyan noted that the November 9 trilateral statement should be applied on all situations before and after it as long as there is an objective necessity for the protection of human rights and humanitarian process conditioned by the war operations.
“The fact that the return of 64 captured Armenian servicemen is delayed with the abuse of legal process is a very vital issue,” he said.