Karabakh is an Azerbaijani land, and Armenian authorities know this truth, but they silence citizens speaking the truth, said Andranik Grigoryan, an Armenian soldier who voluntarily surrendered to Azerbaijan.

Grigoryan, a citizen of Armenia and a serviceman in Armenia’s armed forces, born 1991 in Khojavand district, left his military unit March 22, 2015, and raising a white flag voluntarily surrendered to the Azerbaijani side.

“I, lifting a white flag, voluntarily crossed to the Azerbaijani side, because unbearable conditions prevail in our military unit in relation to me and other soldiers,” Grigoryan said in his comments.

“When we express our protest against these unbearable conditions, I and other soldiers get regularly subjected to beatings and insults by sergeants and commanders,” he said. “In particular, we are beaten by the company commander Captain Suren Balayan.”

The Armenian soldier also said he and other soldiers were treated very badly.

“We are tired of unbearable conditions, lack of discipline in the military unit, lack of ammunition, the officers’ bad attitude towards soldiers and warrant officers, and the disorder,” he said, adding, “In contrast to what is happening there, I am being treated very well here.”

Grigoryan added that if there were an opportunity, many Armenian soldiers would have gone to the Azerbaijani side, just as he did.

“We are fed poor-quality food, the usage term of which has long expired. Unsanitary conditions prevail in military units. Contagious diseases, especially the infectious ones are wide-spread in military units,” he said.

“Karabakh is of course an Azerbaijani land,” Grigoryan further went on to say. “Armenian authorities also know this truth. However, they are trying to silence citizens, who speak the truth.”

Grigoryan saying he would very much like that there were always peace and prosperity in the Caucasus noted that it is Armenia that violates the ceasefire with Azerbaijan, in particular, for the purpose of provocation.

“I’d like to tell the Armenian authorities that the occupied territories must be returned to Azerbaijan, and an end must be put to this war, as these lands belong to Azerbaijan,” said Grigoryan.

He further noted that unlike in Armenia, he is being treated very well in Azerbaijan.

“Absolutely no pressure is put on me,” he added. “I am offered tea, coffee, fruits, natural juices, food and clothing. They regularly allow me to have a walk in the park in the open air.”

However, Grigoryan didn’t say anything when asked about all the inhuman treatment and tortures against the Azerbaijanis - Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev - who are being held as hostages by Armenia.

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