Day: August 30, 2021

“Today marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. Enforced disappearance is a problem encountered by thousands in Azerbaijan for almost three decades. 3890 persons (3171 servicemen, 719 civilians) from Azerbaijan are still missing as a result of the aggression by Armenia. Armenia extensively practiced taking and holding of hostages and mistreatment and summary execution of Azerbaijani prisoners of war and hostages since the early 1990s. Despite the fact that the taking of hostages is clearly prohibited by international humanitarian law, 267 Azerbaijani civilians (including 29 children; 98 women; 112 elderly people) were taken hostage and weren’t released by Armenia. Until now, 1102 Azerbaijani hostages (including 224 children; 357 women; 225 elderly people) have been subsequently released from Armenian captivity,” APA reports citing the statement of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry noted, that by these illegal acts, Armenia seriously violated the relevant provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions relative to the treatment of prisoners of war and to the civilian persons in time of war, as well as their first Additional Protocol.

“Along with relevant norms of international humanitarian law, the issues related to missing persons are also considered in the context of internationally protected human rights, in particular those relating to the right to be protected from arbitrary detention, the right to fair trial affording all judicial guarantees, the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, the prohibition of enforced disappearances, the rights of persons deprived from liberty and others.

Those reported missing among Azerbaijani population disappeared in circumstances that raise serious concerns as to their well-being, particularly given the atrocities widely practiced by armed forces of Armenia during the conflict. Similar to other breaches of international humanitarian law, unlawful detention, torture and outrages on the personal dignity of detained hostages and prisoners of war were part of systematic policy of collective punishment and discrimination against Azerbaijanis.

The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan identified that in violation of the norms of international humanitarian law the Azerbaijani hostages were detained under unbearable conditions, together with prisoners of war, were transferred from one place of detention to another, both in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan and in the territory of Armenia. There was mass annihilation of Azerbaijani prisoners of war and hostages by armed forces of Armenia in 1990s. Many hostages, including children, women, and the elderly, were brutally killed, some died later in Armenian captivity as a result of torture, intolerable conditions and diseases. As the corpses of the dead were not handed over to Azerbaijan, these persons are still considered missing.

Despite the repeated appeals of the State Commission, only a few years ago it was possible to get information about 54 Azerbaijani prisoners of war and hostages, including 6 women who were registered by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and visited at various times by the ICRC’s representatives at the places of detention.

For more than 25 years, Armenia has failed its obligation under the applicable international law to conduct effective investigation into the fate of missing persons. Instead, Armenia denies its responsibility for the aggression it unleashed and for the incalculable human suffering caused, glorifies war criminals and terrorists, and propagates hatred and Azerbaijanaphobia. Azerbaijan has initiated judicial proceedings to prosecute and punish the perpetrators of the atrocity crimes. While accountability and redress serve to ensure the rights and interests of the victims and must be an inevitable consequence of the offenses committed, they are also an essential preventive tool and one of the key prerequisites on the path to genuine reconciliation”, said in the statement.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

The last month of summer is important for every parent with a school-age child, and the last days of summer are even more critical for parents facing school choices. School education is the most crucial stage of human life. Even if we don’t understand it when we are young, and sometimes we miss classes, it is easier to see that everything starts at school. Therefore, every parent pays special attention to the choice of school, sometimes for months of research.

The pandemic conditions we have experienced in the last year have allowed us to see clearly in which educational institutions the quality of education is high. One of these educational institutions, and perhaps the first, was the European Azerbaijan school. Despite the fact that education is conducted online, the high results of university exams for 2020 and 2021 graduates, admission to the world’s most prestigious universities with high-performance scholarships, and strict adherence to school hygiene rules in a pandemic, certainly attracted the attention of many parents. In addition, in 2021, the European Azerbaijan School become a centre of the Caucasus and Central Asia IB schools. In 2021, EAS achieved the IB MYP (Middle Years Programme), becoming a fully certified World IB school and one of the three schools in Azerbaijan with three IB programmes (PYP – Primary Years Programme, MYP – Middle Years Programme and DP – Diploma Programme).

Along with all these successes, the European Azerbaijan School also supported the students and teachers of the war-torn Aghdam and Barda schools throughout the year. As part of the “Seeds of Light“ project, several EAS volunteer teachers conducted online classes for schoolchildren in these areas over the weekend, helping teachers in their education. About 350 students attended these online classes. In light of all these successes, Francesco Banchini, the school’s CEO and director, has been awarded the Golden Palm Awards for his successful activity during the year.

For these reasons, there is a significant increase in the number of students applying to the European Azerbaijan School for the new school year 2021-2022. Given a large number of students, the school has already opened new classes in EAS Secondary campus, which is situated in Badamdar for the Early Learning Center and first-graders. It should be noted that the European Azerbaijan School consists of two buildings: Early Learning Center and Primary Campus (Hasan Majidov 7C, near the Academy of Sciences metro), Secondary Campus (Badamdar, A. Abbasguluzade 13). Also, given a large number of applications, admission to the Early Learning Center at the European Azerbaijan School starts at the age of 3, not 5.

It should be noted that admission to the European Azerbaijan School is held for all grades (Early Learning, Primary and Secondary Education). As education in EAS is taught only in English, admission for grades 2-11 is based on an exam, and the student’s level of English is measured.

Teaching at the European Azerbaijan School is carried out by professional local and foreign teachers within the IB (International Bachelor) program. Russian, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Korean are also taught as additional language classes. For extracurricular activities, both buildings have a swimming pool, stadium, gym, music rooms, library and assembly halls. Students are also provided with natural science laboratories that contain the latest advances in science and technology. The school has various social clubs for education, art and sports, taking into account students’ interests.

To be admitted to the European Azerbaijan School, you must visit www.eas.az and fill out an electronic application at https://eas.openapply.com/.

Registration is open until September 15.

For more information or to visit the school, please call 050 290 77 51.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

Urania Papatheu, a senator from the Forza Italia party, has appreciated the work of Azerbaijani peacekeeping forces in ensuring the security of Kabul International Airport, the Azerbaijani Embassy to Italy told APA.

Urania Papatheu told on the local media that demonstrating great maturity in this matter, Azerbaijan, as always, has demonstrated its readiness to work with Italy and the European Union (EU).

“We witnessed a brawl in the Armenian parliament while Azerbaijan was contributing to security at Kabul airport,” the senator emphasized.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

On August 30, the Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov held an official meeting at the Central Command Post, Ministry of Defense told APA.

Having analyzed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporally deployed, the Minister of Defense instructed to pay special attention to the conduct of practical training on the activities of units and control points, the clarification of combat plans and the aspects of logistical support to provide an immediate and adequate response to the provocation of the opposing side and to maintain the combat capability of the troops and the combat readiness of the military personnel at a high level.

Regarding the planned activities in the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Z.Hasanov gave relevant instructions on organizing military service, clearing mines and unexploded ordnance, creating military infrastructure, laying mountain roads, and keeping them in constant working condition in the liberated territories. The Minister stressed the importance of paying special attention to discipline, safety, and fire safety rules, as well as to the further improvement of the medical support of servicemen.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

Next Congress of Writers’ Union of Azerbaijan will be held in Shusha in October, APA reports.

Chair of AWU Anar has delivered a speech with this proposal within the framework of Vagif’s Poetry Days.

Anar attending the opening of Vagif’s Poetry Days has noted while speaking with President Ilham Aliyev that they want to hold the congress in Shusha in October.

President Ilham Aliyev has agreed with the proposal.

Anar noted that guests from abroad will also attend the congress.

“It would be good. There is also a place to hold it here”, the President said.

Anar expressed his gratitude to the head of state.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency

On August 30, the Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov held an official meeting at the Central Command Post. Deputies of Minister of Defense, Commanders of types of troops, Chiefs of Main Departments, Departments, and Services of the Ministry attended the meeting. Commanders of the Army Corps and formations stationed in the liberated territories and other officers were also involved in the meeting held via video communication, Ministry of Defense told APA.

Having brought to the attention of the meeting participants the tasks assigned to the Azerbaijan Army by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Minister of Defense noted that the reforms carried out in the Azerbaijan Army will further be continued.

The Minister of Defense congratulated the Turkish Minister of National Defense and Chief of the General Staff, as well as the heroic Turkish soldier on the occasion of 30 August Victory Day and the Turkish Armed Forces Day.

Having analyzed the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporally deployed, the Minister of Defense instructed to pay special attention to the conduct of practical training on the activities of units and control points, the clarification of combat plans and the aspects of logistical support to provide an immediate and adequate response to the provocation of the opposing side and to maintain the combat capability of the troops and the combat readiness of the military personnel at a high level.

Regarding the planned activities in the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Z.Hasanov gave relevant instructions on organizing military service, clearing mines and unexploded ordnance, creating military infrastructure, laying mountain roads, and keeping them in constant working condition in the liberated territories. The Minister stressed the importance of paying special attention to discipline, safety, and fire safety rules, as well as to the further improvement of the medical support of servicemen.

Source: Azeri-Press News Agency