BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 13. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited detained persons of Armenian origin in late August and early September. Individual meetings were held with the persons about whom the Azerbaijani side provided information, their contacts with their families were facilitated, the ICRC told Trend.
It was noted that, in accordance with its mandate, during such visits, the ICRC assesses the conditions of detention and treatment of detainees.
"The ICRC also creates conditions for these persons to re-establish or continue contact with their families. In accordance with ICRC procedures, observations and recommendations related to the visits are transmitted only to the detaining party," they added.
It should be noted that earlier, a number of Armenian media reported that Vagif Khachatryan, detained in July at the Lachin border checkpoint, sent a letter to his family again, as his daughter reported.
"It is noted that his health is normal. Red Cross representatives visit my father once a month," she added.
Vagif Khachatryan, as a member of Armenian armed formations, organized the massacre of Azerbaijanis in Meshali village of Khojaly district on December 22, 1991.
Citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan Khachatryan Vagif born in 1955 and living in Badara village of Askeran district, working as a driver in the automobile transport enterprise of Khankendi town together with other persons of Armenian nationality with the purpose of complete destruction of Azerbaijanis living in Meshali village as a single national group, using various types of weapons, including firearms and infantry fighting vehicles, committed an armed attack on this village, killed 25 persons of Azerbaijani nationality, inflicted bodily injuries of various degrees on 14 persons, expelled 358 Azerbaijanis from their places of legal residence without grounds provided for by international legal norms and laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In addition, Khachatryan Vagif, continuing joint criminal actions with persons by prior conspiracy, destroyed and damaged property belonging to the state and villagers, causing material damage in the total amount of 5.4 million manat.
In connection with the emergence of sufficient grounded suspicions, a decision was made to bring Vagif Khachatryan as an accused under Articles 103 (genocide) and 107 (deportation or forced resettlement of population) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Due to the fact that his whereabouts were not known to the investigation, he was put on an international wanted list, and on November 12, 2013, by a court ruling, a measure of restraint in the form of arrest was chosen against him.
As a result of search measures, Vagif Khachatryan was detained by the servicemen of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the Lachin border checkpoint of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border on July 29, 2023, while trying to travel to the Republic of Armenia for medical treatment through the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.