Ombudsman appeals to ICRC regarding Azerbaijani held captive in Armenia

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova has appealed to head of the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Baku Office, Elena Ajmone Sessera regarding Elvin Ibrahimov, currently held captive in Armenia.

The Ombudsman's Office told Report that an Azerbaijani citizen, the resident of Yukhari Salahli village of Gazakh region, Ibrahimov Elvin Arif oglu, (born 29.10.1986), a disabled of group II, who is registered in the Gazakh interregional mental hospital and has repeatedly been treated, according to his mother, headed to work on March 15 but lost his way on the border between Azerbaijan's Gazakh and Noyemberyan district of Armenia. He received a gunshot wound and is currently held captive in Armenia.

According to Article 3 of the Geneva Convention 1949, people not involved directly in the hostilities cannot be taken hostages and must be repatriated to their country of origin.

But, regretfully, the Armenian side again violated the norms and principles of international law, took hostages, and did not take any measures to return the person with disability to his home country.