Baku: The presentation of the “Assessment Report on the Search for Missing Persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan” by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) took place in Baku, as organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages, and Missing Persons, APA reports. The event was attended by members of the State Commission, employees of the Working Group, senior representatives of the International Commission, members of parliament, heads of relevant government bodies, media representatives, and NGOs.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the event emphasized Armenia’s reluctance to cooperate with Azerbaijan in clarifying the fate of missing persons and providing information about mass grave sites. During the conflict period, Armenia reportedly violated international law provisions concerning the protection of individuals from enforced disappearance. It was alleged that Armenia took civilians hostage, subjected them and prisoners of war to inhumane treatment, torture, imprisonment without trial, execution, and buried people in mass graves without observing burial customs. Furthermore, these mass graves were allegedly concealed and intentionally destroyed, with expectations that the number of such grave sites will continue to rise.

The presentation of the report by the International Commission focused on the assessment mission conducted in Azerbaijan in 2023. It highlighted that the State Commission, which is striving to end the thirty-year wait of families of missing persons, plans to strengthen cooperation with the International Commission. The latter has significant experience in identifying illegal grave sites, identifying human remains, clarifying the fate of missing persons, and providing judicial expertise, with advanced technical capabilities and modern methodologies.

In conclusion, there was strong confidence expressed that collaboration with the International Commission will yield effective results in clarifying the fate of Azerbaijan’s missing compatriots.