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Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan on Wednesday warned the political forces running in the upcoming snap parliamentary elections against manipulating the issue of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) held in Azerbaijan during the election campaign.

“During the election campaign, it is unacceptable to manipulate the issue of the return of the captives illegally held in Azerbaijan, or to discuss the possibility of exchanging the captives for other individuals, and the willingness of these individuals to be exchanged,” the ombudsman said in a statement.

“It is obvious that [such an exchange] cannot happen, and the manipulations only increase the tension in the country, and make the return of the captives more difficult: in this way, the “price” of the return of the POWs simply increases for the Azerbaijani authorities. And, of course, it is openly disrespectful treatment toward the captives, their families and their emotions.

“Therefore, I urge everyone to completely stop manipulating the issue of the return of the POWs. 

“It is necessary not to complicate the process with manipulations, but to make real efforts toward the return of our compatriots who are illegally held captive in Azerbaijan,” the statement said.