Appalling video shows Azerbaijani troops executing group of Armenian POWs
YEREVAN, October 2, /ARKA/. Numerous videos regularly publicized by Azerbaijani users on social media demonstrate the war crimes, extrajudicial killings of Armenian prisoners of war, torture of Armenian servicemen, including women, and desecration of corpses committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said today.
The statement comes after a new appalling video emerged on social media, showing Azerbaijani soldiers arbitrarily executing a group of Armenian POWs.
‘The Republic of Armenia demands a clear assessment of the appalling war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces in this and previous periods. We will consistently pursue to voice the issue in relevant international platforms and courts and bring to justice the perpetrators and organizers of the above-mentioned crimes, including by the application of international sanctions. In this context, a due international investigation is imperative.
At the same time, the international community is obliged to increase pressure on Azerbaijan for the immediate repatriation of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilians illegally held in Azerbaijan, clarification of cases of enforced disappearances, and the fates of the missing persons,’.
Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan said in a statement earlier today that the authenticity of the video has been confirmed, following a study of the terrain, comparison with similar videos available in the databases, as well as the combination of weather conditions, uniforms of servicemen, conversation of Azerbaijani servicemen and other parameters.
The authenticity of the video was confirmed also by Armenia’s Defense Ministry.
According to the Human Rights Defender, the video was shot during a large-scale attack by the Azerbaijani armed forces on the sovereign territory of Armenia on September 13.
“Another horrible video has emerged of Armenian prisoners of war apparently being executed. If this video is proven to be authentic then this is a war crime that needs to be investigated and the perpetrators punished,” EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar Klaar tweeted.
‘The international community must strongly condemn this war crime and take appropriate measures to stop Azerbaijan's aggression," Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said in a tweet.
He said Armenia will use all available international mechanisms to ensure investigation and accountability. Such acts of violence should be treated properly, with consequences for the aggressor, he said.-0-
