Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova keeps focus on the rights of Elvin Ibrahimov held hostage in Armenia

As informed, Ibrahimov Elvin Arif oglu who is the citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, resident of Yukhari Salahli village of Gazakh rayon, born in 1986, registered in Gazakh inter-regional mental hospital and repeatedly received treatment, being a person with group II disability, left home as for work on March 15, 2019, according to his mother. Then he was wounded as a result of  the fire opened by the military servicemen of Armenia while crossing the border, as he lost his way at the border between Gazakh rayon of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Noyemberyan district of the Republic of Armenia, and he is currently held hostage.

According to the Article 3 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, taking hostage civilian persons, taking no active part in the hostilities, is prohibited, and they shall be repatriated as soon as possible. 

At the same time, taking into account that E.Ibrahimov is a person with disability and was injured by military servicemen of Armenia during accidentally crossing the border, he shall be the object of particular protection and respect, according to the Article 16 of the Convention, and should be released in a short period of time.

However, regrettably, the Armenian side this time also violated the norms and principles of international law as usual, took hostage a civilian person and did not take any measures for returning this person to his country as soon as possible.

Considering the above-mentioned international norms and the letter of request addressed to the Azerbaijani Ombudsman by Ibrahimov’s mother, an appeal was addressed by the Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova to Elena Ajmore Sessera, the head of delegation of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Azerbaijan. It was asked in the appeal, to ensure within the mandate that E.Ibrahimov is not subjected to physical or moral abuse within the period of being held hostage, to keep his health and general state under control via the ICRC delegation operating in the country where he’s held and to render assistance in his returning to the Azerbaijani side  as soon as possible.