12/03/2020 Nagorno-Karabakh (International Christian Concern) – Human Rights Watch has published a report voicing concerns over the inhumane treatment Armenian prisoners of war are experiencing by Azerbaijani forces. These Armenian troops were captured during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The total number of POWs is unknown.

According the report, “videos depict Azerbaijani captors variously slapping, kicking, and prodding Armenian POWs, and compelling them, under obvious duress and with the apparent intent to humiliate, to kiss the Azerbaijani flag, praise Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, swear at Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and declare that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijan. In most of the videos, the captors’ faces are visible, suggesting that they did not fear being held accountable.”

Nagorono-Karabakh is a disputed territory between Armenian and Azerbaijan. Internationally, it is recognized as belonging to Azerbaijan, who is a predominately Turkish Islamic country. However, most of Karabakh’s locals are Armenian Christian. This territory is viewed by Azerbaijan and Turkey as a barrier preventing the “Turkish Crescent” between the two countries. As such, human rights abuses committed against Armenians are often laced with both ethnic and religious tones.

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