Deputy PM urges active work on release of Azerbaijani hostages

It is necessary to conduct active work on the release of Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov said on July 3 at a meeting with Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

He noted that four years have passed since the two Azerbaijanis were taken hostage by Armenians when visiting the graves of their relatives in the occupied Kalbajar region. Ahmadov said that IFRC should use its capabilities and authority in this matter and stressed the importance of active work to release these innocent people.

The deputy PM also spoke about the Armenia-Azerbaijan NagornoKarabakh conflict, noting that 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory was occupied as a result of the conflict and more than a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons. Ahmadov said that the government of Azerbaijan highly appreciates the active support provided by IFRC.

“The improvement of the socioeconomic situation and housing conditions of internally displaced persons is one of the priority areas of the country in the humanitarian field,” the deputy PM said.

As Sy, in turn, expressed confidence that the strengthening of cooperation between IFRC and the government of Azerbaijan will create good opportunities. He added that the main goal is to help people not only in Azerbaijan, but also people in need throughout the region by studying their living conditions.

During the meeting, Ahmadov and As Sy signed a Memorandum of understanding between the government of Azerbaijan and IFRC. The purpose of the memorandum is to create favorable conditions for the expansion of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

After being taken hostage by the Armenians in 2014, Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev were judged illegally by the unrecognized courts of the separatist regime in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Following an expedited “judicial process” in December 2015, Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment and Guliyev – to 22 years in prison.

Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and other agencies have repeatedly urged international organizations, including the ICRC, to assist in release of Guliyev and Asgarov, whilst the problem remains topical yet.