Relatives and representatives of Armenian prisoners of war illegally held in Azerbaijan have sent letters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation Ignatius Kassis, as well as the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spolyarich Eger, with a request to activate the “Protective Force” mechanism within the framework of international humanitarian law, reports the Center of International and Comparative Law.
Siranush Sahakyan, representative of the interests of Armenian prisoners of war in the European Union, is the head of the Center.
“We, the relatives and representatives of the Armenian prisoners of war illegally detained in Azerbaijan, express our deep concern about the complete closure of the representative office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Azerbaijan. This significantly worsened the already difficult situation of our relatives, leaving us in deep uncertainty regarding their fate and situation.
Taking into account the above and recalling the obligations established by international humanitarian law, we respectfully but firmly urge Armenia to officially address the government of the Swiss Confederation with a request that the Swiss side take on the role of “protecting force”. This is a necessary and urgent step to ensure the protection of the rights, safety and dignity of our relatives by means of internationally recognized mechanisms.
We recognize that the institution of “protective force” has not been used in recent decades and may seem unusual in today’s conditions, but the exceptional and illegal circumstances with which we are dealing require such exceptional measures. “Azerbaijan continues to isolate Armenian prisoners from their families, independent lawyers and impartial humanitarian organizations, grossly violating international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949,” the letter says. state.
Noting that at least 19 people are currently being held in Baku, their relatives report that this situation has led to a serious violation of human rights, creating a high risk of violence, ill-treatment and even forced disappearances.
“Considering these urgent and extraordinary circumstances, as well as the status of Switzerland as a host state of the ICRC and a major supporter of international humanitarian law, we respectfully request.
The Government of the Republic of Armenia officially appeals to the Government of the Swiss Confederation with a request to assume the role of “Defending State” in relation to all Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan;
The Government of the Swiss Confederation will satisfy the request of Armenia and act as a “Protecting State”, maximally protecting the rights and dignity of the prisoners;
The International Committee of the Red Cross, as a replacement for the “Protecting State”, will support this appointment and provide assistance to Switzerland in the implementation of its functions.
Time has a decisive importance. Further delay may further aggravate the suffering of the illegally detained and increase the threat to their life and physical integrity. “Therefore, we call on the governments of the Republic of Armenia and Switzerland to take appropriate measures within the framework of their mandate and do it in a timely manner. In addition, we ask the International Committee of the Red Cross to assist in ensuring the effective application of international law and the proper protection of the rights of ethnic Armenians in the context of ongoing violations,” the letter says.