The head of the Information Center for Azerbaijani Captives and Hostages, human rights defender Ahmad Shahidov addressed a video appeal to the Azerbaijani public. In his appeal, the human rights defender spoke about the Azerbaijani civilians Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, who were taken hostage by Armenian military units and said that all efforts must be made to secure the release of our compatriots, who have been under torture for 2,100 days, and the threat of a world-wide coronavirus pandemic could affect our hostages: “Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev have been held hostage by Armenians for 2,100 days. Our hostages, who have been subjected to constant torture for six years, have serious health problems and are already old. The global coronavirus pandemic could affect them as well. If we take into account that the coronavirus is widespread in the Armenian army today and our hostages do not undergo the necessary medical examination, then we can assume that the lives of Dilgam and Shahbaz are at risk. Therefore, we must mobilize all opportunities, inform international organizations about it and increase international pressure on the Armenian government.”
Note that during an operation in July 2014 in Shaplar village of Azerbaijani Kalbajar district occupied by Armenia, the Armenian special forces killed an Azerbaijani Hasan Hasanov, and took hostage two other Azerbaijanis, Shahbaz Guliyev, and Dilgam Asgarov. A “criminal case” was initiated against them. Afterward, a “court” sentenced Asgarov to life imprisonment and Guliyev to 22 years in prison.