Civil Society Institute calls upon all relevant international institutions for the return of Armenian citizen
On June 20, 2017, a 43-year-old Armenian national Zaven Karapetyan entered the territory of Azerbaijan in unclear circumstances. On June 21 the Azerbaijani media blamed Armenian Armed Forces on attempted sabotage and reported the capture of a saboteur. Later, the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan released a video with ʿsaboteur’, who identified himself as Zaven Karapetyan, resident of the Armenian village of Dovegh (Tavush province), born in 1974. Following that the spokesman of the Armenian Defense Ministry Artsrun Hovhannisyan denied any act of sabotage and loss of an Armenian soldier[1]. The head of Tavoush community Samvel Gorginyan told that there is no missing residents of Tavoush matching the man in the video and registered under the name Zaven Karapetyan[2]. Meanwhile, the mayor of Vanadzor Mamikon Aslanyan confirmed that Karapetyan is registered in Vanadzor[3]. Civil Society Institute reminds that in 2014 another Armenian national, 31-year-old resident of Armenian Chinari village Karen Petrosyan, was found in the territory of Azerbaijan. He also was presented as a saboteur[4]. Karen Petrosyan was captured on August 7, 2014 and next day, on August 8, he was reported dead in custody. His body was returned with the signs of torture. Earlier in the same year, a 77-year-old Armenian national Mamikon Khojoyan crossed the border into Azerbaijan. He was held by Azerbaijani authorities for over a month, and subjected to torture and ill-treatment, too. He died on May 20, two months after he was handed back to Armenian authorities. In view of the above, the Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights Artak Kirakosyan stated that in recent years the tendency of dehumanization of the Azerbaijani leadership and society as a whole has noticeably increased. 'Azerbaijan is more distant than ever from a policy of respect and promotion of human life and dignity, which is alarming and we have all bases to be afraid for the fate of the Armenian national'- A.Kirakosyan has mentioned. In the light of such concerns, Civil Society Institute calls upon all relevant international institutions, in particular the International Committee of the Red Cross, UN and Council of Europe, to take immediate action for the return of Zaven Karapetan and guarantee his safety. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia to raise the case of an Armenian national in all relevant international institutions and demand to take immediate action to protect the life and physical safety of Zaven Karapetan and his transfer to Armenia. the authorities of Armenia to take necessary measures to ensure the security of the civilians by properly managing the border regime to prevent civilians from crossing into the territory of Azerbaijan. the authorities of Azerbaijan to comply with their obligations under international human rights instruments and 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols and to adopt such measures as may be necessary to protect the life and physical safety of Zaven Karapetan until his return to Armenia. Civil Society Institute
