Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General office on Wednesday said that it has filed charges against an Armenian soldier who mistakenly crossed into Azerbaijan and was captured.
Armenia’s Defense Minister said the five separate criminal charges against Gurgen Alaverdyan were “absurd.”
The Defense Ministry spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan said in a Facebook post that the ongoing legal process [in Azerbaijan] was nothing but “low quality theatrics,” adding that official Yerevan is in constant contact with relevant international bodies to secure Alaverdyan’s return to Armenia.
Official Baku alleges that Alaverdyan was captured when attempting what they called a “commando” operation within Azerbaijan, a claim vehemently denied by Armenia, which says the soldier got lost due to weather conditions.
Since Alaverdyan’s capture videos have surfaced on social media showing the Armenian soldier surrounded by Azerbaijani troop who are berating him with anti-Armenian slurs.
On Wednesday, a five-minute video circulated in Azerbaijani media showing Alaverdyan sitting in front of an Azerbaijani flag and “confessing” to the claim of a sabotage operation that went wrong. Furthermore, Alaverdyan is shown saying that he wants to stay in Azerbaijan because “the Armed Forces of Armenia have no chances to defeat the Azerbaijani army.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday that its representatives in Baku are trying to visit Alaverdyan.
“Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross are now engaged in a dialogue on this issue with relevant authorities in Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Zara Amatuni, the spokeswoman for the ICRC office in Yerevan, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Artsakh Defense Ministry on Wednesday dismissed Azerbaijani reports claiming its troops had targeted civilian settlements in Azerbaijan.
“Staying true to its policy of spreading lies, Azerbaijan official propaganda machine issued a statement today claiming that the servicemen of the [Artsakh] Defense Army opened fire from machine guns and sniper rifles on the village of Ghapanli in the Terter region,” the Artsakh Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry called the statement “another misinformation of the Azerbaijan,” noting that the civilian population and institutions have never been and are not a target for the Artsakh Defense Army.”
The Artsakh Defense Ministry said that its elite troops continue to adhere to the ceasefire, but are ready to take necessary actions if necessary.
AZERBAIJAN CAPTIVE OFFICER GURGEN ALAVERDYAN IT IS NOT SOMETHING NEW. PROPAGANDA
MA SHIN SAME THINK LIE AS I SAD BEFORE IT IS FOREN POLES I OF AZERBAIJAN WE HAVE TO BE
STRONG.
This is all that Baku has. An Armenian soldier who unbelievably gets lost and captured and used as propaganda tool. Just unbelievable. Also the ‘Cry” for international condemnation , a tired old Armenian bad habit, goes on deaf ears yet once again. What gets peoples attention however, like Aliyev does , is ratchet up the border violence. Maybe Armenia needs to start sniping and selectively destroying Azeri outposts yet once again. Will get everyone’s attention…Unfortunately sorry to say this soldier is already lost.
GO AFTER THE ILLEGITIMATE AZERI REGIME DESPOT and his ill rule over Azerbaijan. The useless coward is turning all Azeri’s against all Armenians. Turn against the “undemocratic and human right violating”regime itself. No one will argue.
The Azerbaijani scripted fake “confession” sounds quite familiar and says it all. It is so obvious this is all made up that only Azerbaijanis could come up with such nonsense. They are so desperate to denigrate Armenians that they will say and do anything. They are well-known LIARS from their leaders at the top down to their agenda across the world. When it comes to Armenians these people have no respect for the truth. They were beaten by brave Armenian soldiers so badly a quarter century ago that to this day they are unable to digest their devastating and humiliating defeat. They will use any opportunity to get back at them. They are morally bankrupt and sadistic. It is part of their DNA. They are sore losers.
To say that this Armenian soldier claims he wants to stay in the most racist and anti-Armenian hell hole because Armenian Armed Forces are incapable of defeating the Azerbaijan army is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. They are so fearful of the strength of the Armenian forces that they are delusional. It was only last month that Armenian army defeated them. Not just them but their special forces trained in terrorist Turkey. They were so shocked and ridiculed that they had to fire their high-ranking officials to save face. And for the first time, terrorist Turkey a foreign country, with no direct involvement in this conflict had to warn and threaten Armenia to save face as well because the failed attack on the Armenian border, with heavy casualties, was jointly planned by these two terrorist states.
These people have no shame. If this soldier is not released and is harmed in any way the Armenian side should execute by firing squad one of the Azerbaijani criminals in their custody. Fight fire with much bugger fire. Speak to them with the language they understand best and never back down.
I FEEL VERY SAD TO SEE OUR SOLDIER CAPTURED BY AZERIS AND PLAYING LOW
CLASS GAME WITH HIM HOW WE ARMENIAN GOING SEAT DOWN AND TALK
PEACE WHITE THIS CRIMINAL AND B……………AZERBAIJAN FOREN POLES I
SPOKESMAN HICKMAN AJIYAV SADE WE ARE CRIMINAL STUPID AND
ALWAYS SAID SO CALL ARMENIAN JENESIDE
Armenian must capture a few of these coward animals during skirmishes and keep them in a good shape. Soon one of us accidentally trapped in a war zone, then we will deal with them through the red cross. If they don’t cooperate with the Armenian army, then we show their faces. I am sure cowards Tatar-Turks will get the message…