Baku, February 28, 2025 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has strongly condemned and rejected the recent statement by Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated February 28, 2025, regarding allegations of mistreatment of Armenian detainees and the judicial process for individuals accused of war crimes in Azerbaijan.
Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Armenia’s claims are baseless and unfounded. He emphasized that former separatist leaders and other Armenian-origin detainees have been either charged or convicted of severe crimes, including war crimes, ethnic cleansing, military aggression, and torture. Hajizada affirmed Azerbaijan’s right and obligation to investigate and prosecute such offenses in accordance with international and domestic law, including the Geneva Conventions.
“The detentions have a proper legal basis and do not infringe on the rights of the detainees,” Hajizada asserted. “Even if they were considered prisoners-of-war, the Third Geneva Convention allows for detention until the conclusion of legal proceedings and, if necessary, until the completion of any sentence imposed.”
The Azerbaijani official highlighted that all legal rights of the accused have been ensured, and court proceedings have been conducted transparently with testimonies properly recorded. He refuted claims of ill-treatment of detainees, stating that independent investigations have found such allegations to be false. Additionally, Hajizada noted that representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross have conducted regular visits, and detainees have been allowed to communicate with their families via telephone and video calls, most recently in February.
Hajizada also pointed out that Azerbaijan, as a humanitarian gesture and in compliance with international humanitarian law, has released and repatriated more than 200 Armenian detainees since the 2020 war. However, he expressed concern that some of those individuals faced imprisonment and interrogation by Armenian authorities upon their return. Furthermore, he reminded the Armenian MFA that Azerbaijan permitted over 10,000 illegal Armenian armed forces to lay down their arms and leave Azerbaijani territory following anti-terror measures in 2023.
Contrasting Azerbaijan’s approach with Armenia’s, Hajizada criticized the latter for failing to investigate cases of mistreatment of Azerbaijani prisoners-of-war and detained civilians. He underscored that Armenia has also not provided information on the whereabouts of 4,000 missing Azerbaijanis. Witnesses and evidence indicate that Azerbaijani POWs were subjected to torture, ill-treatment, and degrading conditions, in violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
Hajizada concluded that the Armenian statement reflects the country’s unease over the ongoing trial against individuals accused of war crimes. He asserted that Armenia’s political leadership continues to engage in manipulative rhetoric instead of acknowledging its responsibility for decades of aggression and violations against Azerbaijan.
“At this critical juncture, Azerbaijan expects the Armenian side to refrain from baseless accusations that undermine peace efforts in the region, which include holding perpetrators of war crimes accountable,” Hajizada stated.
