Azerbaijan has returned five Armenian prisoners of war to Armenia through the mediation of the Hungarian government, reported Armenia’s Foreign spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan.
The prisoners of war who returned to Armenia are Sargis Abrahamyan, Arman Khachatryan, Vahe Aghajanyan, Suren Khachatryan, Aram Avetyan.
On a related matter, a man from the village of Aygestan in Artsakh’s Askeran Province was arrested by Azerbaijani troops after accidentally crossing into Azeri-controlled territories on Wednesday morning.
The National Security Service of Artsakh said in a statement that 50-year-old Armen Verdyan was reported missing at 7:30 a.m. local time.
Investigators then found out that the man got lost near Nakhijevanik and Ughtasar and accidentally crossed into the Azerbaijani-controlled areas and was subsequently taken into custody by Azeri troops.
The Artsakh authorities said they’ve immediately notified the Russian peacekeepers, who in turn have validated that Verdyan was safe.
Artsakh Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan said the Verdyan was eventually released by Azerbaijani forces later on Wednesday.
“As a result of negotiations conducted by the security forces of Artsakh and the Russian peacekeepers, the civilian was returned and is now with the Russian peacekeepers. Soon he will be handed over to the Armenian side,” Stepanyan said.
