Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 24 2006
Armenian prisoner of war repatriated
[ 24 Mar. 2006 17:33 ]
Today an Armenian prisoner of war (POW) detained in Azerbaijan was
repatriated to his country under the auspices of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
APA was informed by the ICRC.
The operation took place on the road between Azerbaijan’s town of
Gazakh and Armenia’s town of Ijevan.
Further to the request from the authorities of the Republic of
Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, the ICRC acting as a neutral
intermediary, and in accordance with its mandate, facilitated the
repatriation of the Armenian prisoner of war.
The ICRC delegates met with the POW to be sure that he wishes to
return to his own country.
In accordance with its mandate, the ICRC assisted in repatriation of
656 people in the region since 1992.
The repatriated Armenian prisoner of war is a military man Saakyan
Vardan Martikovich, who passed the front line in Hasangaya village of
Azerbaijani region of Terter, near contact line of troops on 3
February, this year.
The investigation found out that Saakyan Vardan was born in Uits
village of Sisian region, Armenia, on June 25, 1986, and he is
Armenian citizen.
Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Prisoners of War, Hostages and
Missing Persons informed APA that Saakyan was drafted to Armenian
Army under a contract and sent to Azerbaijan’s occupied province of
Nagorno Garabagh for military service.
The international organizations, including, the ICRC, the
International Working Group to Search for the Missing, Hostages and
Prisoners of War were informed about Saakyan./APA/