MP Naira Zohrabyan denounces authorities for failure to bring back captured soldiers

Panorama, Armenia
June 4 2021

MP Naira Zohrabyan from the opposition Prosperous Armenia faction on Friday denounced the authorities for their failure to bring back the six Armenian soldiers captured by Azerbaijani forces on May 27.

“I would like to remind you that the General Staff chief announced that he gives Azerbaijan just one hour for them to return the captured Armenian boys, whereas 144 hours have passed since then and our soldiers remain in captivity,” Zohrabyan said at a parliament sitting.

The lawmaker said that the Armenian delegation, which left for Moscow to negotiate the release of the captives, returned empty-handed, as evidenced by the delegation's “vague statement, which says that discussions and negotiations are going on.”

Naira Zohrabyan also noted that on 1 June the Azerbaijani law enforcement authorities completed the preliminary investigation of the criminal case against 14 Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and forwarded it to a Baku court.

The MP recalled that the matter concerns the servicemen captured near the Hadrut region on December 13, saying despite the immense pressure of the international community Azerbaijan refuses to recognize them as prisoners of war.

She said that criminal proceedings have also been brought against the other Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan.