The servicemen who returned from captivity after the September battles may return to service. Their family members alert about the health problems of their sons, which are not only physical but also psychological.
The family members who alerted the NGO “Journalists for Human Rights” draw attention to the fact that their sons were subjected to inhuman violence in Baku, they are psychologically oppressed, have serious problems; however, it is possible that, in at least two weeks, they will go to the positions again.
A family member of one of the mandatory conscripts who returned from captivity, on the condition of remaining anonymous, said that the brutalities suffered in Baku do not come out of the boy’s mind. According to him, for the first three days after their capture, the soldiers were kept in the military police of Azerbaijan, where they were subjected to extreme torture. The traces of violence are visible to the naked eye, there are even traces of burns on the neck, which are not related to combat operations.
“The first three days he was brutal in the military police, he says it was hell, until he was taken to prison… He jumps up from his sleep at night, always wants to be alone, whatever topic we talk about, he changes the topic again. he tells about what happened to him again and again”, says the soldier’s relative and notes that the scenes of violence and blood, his dying friends are the only thoughts constantly in his mind.
“If our child is normal, let them take him and let him serve, but we see that he is not well. He was wounded in the leg, received treatment, stayed in the hospital for 10 days. We need to take him to a psychiatrist: we see that he is not normal,” he said.
Lawyer Ani Chachinyan, who deals with the problems of those who returned from captivity, also mentioned in the conversation that they are receiving alerts that the soldiers found in captivity will be taken back to military service in the near future.
“All those who returned were hospitalized, then they were given a leave in order to be drafted in the near future,” said the lawyer, noting that they are communicating with the officers to receive psychological support.
“It is a complex and long-term process for a person to be psychologically rehabilitated and ready for military service. Psychological treatment takes long time, it can last for years. The 18-20-year-old servicemen who were captured during the war and tortured during captivity are not ready to overcome their psychological problems in 15-20 days or a month and go into service. Until these problems are solved among servicemen, taking them to military service is fraught with grave problems, new crimes. Serious consequences may occur,” said the lawyer.
Ani Chatinyan notes that those who returned from captivity have serious health problems. “They have even heart problems, mental problems that remain unsolved, which lead to general damage to the organism, such as cardiovascular problems and pressure fluctuations. The obligation of the state should be to focus primarily on health care. It should be realistically assessed whether these servicemen can take weapons to go to the service or not,” said the lawyer.
Studies by the NGO “Journalists for Human Rights” have shown that servicemen who returned from captivity after the 44-day war, as well as the November 2021 combat operations, do not undergo proper examinations, do not receive the necessary rehabilitation treatment, and have a short stay in the hospital and in the family. Then they are returned to military service. After returning to the army and especially to the positions, the poor health condition of servicemen worsens.
“Journalists for Human Rights” NGO studied the story of Arthur B., who returned from captivity in February. We found out that the serviceman went to the army without receiving the necessary psychological and rehabilitation treatment, after which his condition became extremely serious. After our consistent coverage, the Ministry of Defense conducted a new examination, during which it was found that the serviceman’s health condition is incompatible with service.
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Defense does not initiate legislative changes for those those returned from captivity arto bee considered demobilized by law.
Narek Kirakosyan