The Defender presented the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani side and the urgency of the return of the captives to the delegation led by the head of the Armenian National Committee in Egypt. The RA Human Rights Defender’s official website informs.

“Today, the Human Rights Defender received the delegation headed by Armen Mazlumyan, the head of the Armenian National Committee in Egypt. The delegation includes both former members of the Egyptian parliament, as well as representatives of well-known media and human rights activists.

Arman Tatoyan presented the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the war in Artsakh in November-December 2020.

He spoke in detail about the urgency of the return of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan, noting that the behavior of the Azerbaijani authorities grossly violates international requirements by presenting the captives as “terrorists” or “saboteurs.”

The Defender noted that all servicemen of the Armenian side – civilians – were captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the ongoing armed conflict, therefore, all of them are prisoners of war, and they should be released immediately and returned to the homeland without any political or other preconditions.

The Azerbaijani authorities are artificially delaying and politicizing the process, grossly violating the rights of the captives and their families, causing them suffering and causing tension in the society.

Arman Tatoyan condemned the opening of the so-called “exhibition-park” in Baku on the September-November 2020 war, considering it a proof of state-sponsored anti-Armenianism and Azerbaijan’s genocidal policy.

The Defender drew attention to the fact that the mannequins of the Armenian soldiers were in a humiliated condition in that place, and the park was also open for children.

He also presented evidence of how anti-Armenianism and murder are encouraged by the Azerbaijani authorities.

The members of the delegation praised the work of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, emphasizing that the head of the Armenian National Committee in Egypt regularly receives reliable information about Armenia, including the activities of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia.

The Human Rights Defender praised the work of the Armenian National Committee in Egypt, especially the consistent work aimed at making Artsakh a part of the civilized world. An agreement was reached with the members of the delegation to carry out joint work on human rights protection.

At the end of the meeting, the Defender answered the journalists’ questions,” the statement reads.