Azerbaijani rights defenders state new facts of drafting unhealthy recruits

Human rights defenders in Azerbaijan express their concern about the military service of unhealthy young people and non-combat losses in the armed forces of the country. Alekper Mamedov, the head of Centre for democratic civilian control over armed forces, reported about new facts of recruitment of seriously ill young people.

On January 12, Alekper Mamedov presented new data at the press conference at the office of the Institute of Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS). He reported on two soldiers who, despite their health problems, were not exempt from military service. According to him, soldier Elshad Novruzov was called up a year ago and served in one of the military units of the city of Gandzha. Two months ago, he was hospitalized to the Department of Pulmonology of the Central Military Hospital in Baku with diagnosis of "accumulation of fluid in lungs."

"Cold hospital room does not contribute to his recovery. The soldier is not completely healed, and they want to send him back to the military unit," said Alekper Mamedov. According to him, Elshad Novruzov should be urgently dismissed from the military service.

Ali Novruzov, the father of the soldier, says that prior to recruitment, his son never suffered from lung disease.

The human rights defender Alekper Mamedov treats the situation with the soldier Novruzov as "the result of negligence of doctors, corruption and other negative processes in the army."

Alekper Mamedov also spoke of Amil Aliev, the resident of Astara District, who was called up to military service with one kidney. Draft committee "did not recorded" that, and the problem was "discovered", when after 1 year and 3 months of military service, Amil Aliev faced problems with his single kidney.

According to Alekper Mamedov, after the discovery of that fact, the soldier was recorded to the reserve. However, he is being kept for a month in the military unit in the Salyan District, where he served.

"We urge Safar Abiev, Minister of Defence, to respond to those facts, like it was for the deaf soldier Ikhtiyar Nadyriv, who was called up from the same Astara District. We hope that this time the guilty persons will also be punished," said the human rights defender.

The press service of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) refrained from commenting on the situation with Novruzov and Aliev, referring to the lack of information. However, they have reported that the information will be verified, and, if the facts are confirmed, "the appropriate measures will be taken."

The MoD also emphasized that after revealing the facts of enlistment of the deaf soldier, in accordance with the order of the Minister of Defence, Lieutenant-Colonel Rafael Vakhidov, the head of the Military Commissariat of the Astara District of Azerbaijan, was dismissed from the position. Four medical workers from the Military Commissariat received severe reprimands, two received warnings of incomplete adequacy, and one was demoted.

Centre "Doctrine": in 2011, in Azerbaijan, 83 out of 97 servicemen's deaths were non-combat losses

Meanwhile, on January 12, the Centre for Journalist Military Studies "Doctrine" announced the statistics of the losses in the sector of security and defence of Azerbaijan in 2011. According to Djasur Sumerinli, the head of the NGO, last year's casualties in the armed forces amounted to 97 persons. Another 102 persons were wounded or injured.

At the same time, according to Djasur Sumerinli, fatal casualties in the Karabakh conflict zone amounted to 14 persons, including 13 killed by bullets of enemy and one person was blown up on a landmine. Non-combat losses amounted to 83 persons, including 9 persons, died under unidentified circumstances, 17 persons, perished in accidents (avalanches, suffocation from carbon monoxide, lightning, falls, high voltage current rush, careless handling of weapons, etc.), 12 persons, died from disease or poisoning, 15 persons, perished in car accidents, 17 persons, killed as a result of using of weapons against each other because of persecution, 12 persons committed suicide, and one person was killed during special operation.

According to Djasur Sumerinli, in comparison with 2010, the total losses of Azerbaijani Armed Forces have increased by 26 persons. However, combat losses have decreased from 17 to 14.

In total, according to the "Doctrine", for the period from 2003, losses of Azerbaijani Armed Forces amounted to 547 soldiers, including 162 combat losses and 385 non-combat ones.

According to Djasur Sumerinli, statistics was compiled on the basis of media monitoring of single messages of the MoD and other official sources.

The MoD of Azerbaijan does not publish its information on general statistics of losses among servicemen.

Among the factors affecting the growth of losses, Djasur Sumerinli mentioned problems with military discipline, social safety of officers, and accountability of law enforcement agencies to the Parliament.