Azerbaijan hands over five POWs to Armenia

Five militaries taken prisoner on November 16 were returned to Armenia through the mediation of Hungary, the State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons reported.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on November 26, Azerbaijan handed over to Armenia two prisoners of war (POWs), including a military man and a civilian. On December 4, ten more soldiers were returned to Armenia: the Azerbaijani side exchanged them for minefield maps. On December 19, ten more soldiers returned to Armenia. On December 21, it was reported that ten prisoners of war whom Azerbaijan returned to Armenia on December 19 are at home.

Five militaries detained on November 16 at the Kelbadjar section of the state border were returned to the Armenian side. They are 26-year-old Sarkis Abramyan, 30-year-old Arman Khachatryan, 39-year-old Vage Agadjanyan, 29-year-old Suren Khachatryan, and 24-year-old Aram Avetyan, the “Report” agency reports.

Earlier, on December 27, in Armenia, a court arrested for two months Major Narek Yeremyan, who had returned from captivity in Azerbaijan. The Armenian officer is accused of violating the rules of military service. Armenia should not open criminal proceedings against its own captured soldiers, human rights defender Arthur Sakunts says.