“The fact that 85 year old Evgenia Babayan, who was extradited to Armenia with the humanitarian support of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian Federation, was subjected to psychological and physical torture in Armenia is a matter of serious regret and concern."
Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Affairs Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev made the statement.
"In an Armenian-staged video, an elderly woman is forced to say her view on a previously submitted text. According to our information, woman's close relatives were also involved in the investigation by the bodies of Armenian Special Services.
Evgenia Babayan, who was abandoned on the battlefield by the Armenian armed forces and in need of physical assistance, was provided with all necessary medical assistance, humane treatment and support by Azerbaijan. Unlike Armenia, this elderly woman was hospitalized accompanied by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross before interrogation."
Hajiyev noted that on the humane initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, on October 18, Armenia was offered to accept two elderly Armenians and the bodies of Armenian servicemen, but this offer was rejected.
“The Armenian side agreed to accept this woman only on October 28 and the bodies of Armenian soldiers on October 29. The Azerbaijani side tried to handover 84-year-old Misha Melkumyan to Armenia on October 29 through the ICRC mediation, but the latter refused to accept him by demonstrating inhumanity,” the presidential aide said.
He stressed that Misha Melkumyan, who was suffering from chronic diseases and was hospitalized, had been under the supervision of ICRC representatives. “This man passed away from numerous chronic diseases.”
The presidential aide strongly condemned the fact that Armenia’s special services and investigative bodies, having exerted a psychological influence on the 84-year-old woman and her close relatives, received testimony from them against Azerbaijan, and accused the woman of collaboration with Azerbaijan’s special services.
“Such inhumane behavior towards an elderly woman, whose health condition is not good, is unacceptable,” Hajiyev added.
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