NSS confirms release of three kidnapped Nagorno-Karabakh students from Azeri custody

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS. The National Security Service on Thursday confirmed that Azerbaijan has released the three students who were kidnapped by Azerbaijani border guards.

The three men, Alen Sargsyan (born 2001), Levon Grigoryan (born 2003) and Vahe Hovsepyan (born 2003) were transferred by Azerbaijani authorities to Armenian Border Guards on September 7. The transfer took place at Hakari Bridge.

The three students were kidnapped and subsequently jailed on August 28 by Azeri border guards while traveling to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh to continue their studies. Azeri authorities had announced that the men would be jailed for 10 days for allegedly “dishonoring” the Azeri flag.

The kidnapping wascondemnedby the Armenian Foreign Ministry as a gross violation by Azerbaijan of the “Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, legally binding Orders of the UN International Court of Justice and open contempt for the unequivocal and targeted calls of the international community, including voiced by members of the UN Security Council.”