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Azerbaijani president's aide voices his concern over tortures against elderly woman in Armenia

Politics Materials 31 October 2020 13:29 (UTC +04:00)
Azerbaijani president's aide voices his concern over tortures against elderly woman in Armenia

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 31

Trend:

The fact that 85-year-old Yevgenia Babayan, forwarded to Armenia with the humanitarian support of the International Committee of the Red Cross and Russia, was subjected to psychological and physical tortures in this country and was brought before an investigator, causes serious regret and concern, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said, Trend reports on Oct.31.

Hajiyev noted that in staged video footage presented by Armenia the woman has to voice a text prepared in advance.

“According to our information, the Armenian special services also involved her close relatives in the investigation. She was left by Armenian soldiers in the combat zone and needed physical assistance, so the Azerbaijani side provided her with all the necessary medical aid and support,” he pointed out. “Unlike Armenia, this elderly woman in Azerbaijan did not appear before an investigator and was admitted to the hospital accompanied by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.”

“Despite the humane initiative of President Ilham Aliyev to hand over two elderly people to the Armenian side, as well as the bodies of Armenian soldiers on October 18, Armenia refused this. Only on October 28, this country agreed to accept Yevgenia Babayan, and on October 29 - the bodies of Armenian servicemen,” the president’s assistant emphasized. “On October 29, with the mediation of the ICRC, the Azerbaijani side expressed its readiness to hand over 84-year-old Misha Melkumyan to Armenia, but Armenia, once again showing an inhuman attitude, refused to accept him.”

“ICRC kept the health state of Melkumyan, who suffered from chronic diseases and was hospitalized, under its control. This elderly man died as a result of numerous chronic diseases. The Armenian side is using this for propaganda purposes, having organized another ‘staged performance’ in this connection,” he said.

“We strongly condemn the fact that the special services and investigative bodies of Armenia, by means of psychological influence on an 84-year-old woman and her relatives, are trying to obtain ‘evidence’ against Azerbaijan, accuse her of cooperation with the Azerbaijani special services. Such an inhuman attitude towards this elderly woman with health problems is unacceptable," summed up Hajiyev.

As earlier reported, Babayan was forwarded to the Armenian side, left helpless by the Armenian Armed Forces during their retreat in occupied Nagorno Karabakh, was transferred to the Armenian side on the Georgian-Armenian border.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27.

Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops liberated a number of territories previously occupied by Armenia, as well as take important, strategic heights under control.

The fighting continued into October 2020, in the early days of which Armenia has launched missile attacks on Azerbaijani cities of Ganja, Mingachevir, Khizi as well as Absheron district.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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