Three Azerbaijani citizens have been declared missing since 2016.
Azerbaijani citizens Salmanov Namiq Yusif oglu, Rashidbeyli Movlud Furudun oglu and Aliyev Farid Huseyn oglu detained in Libya were released on August 31, 2017 after the negotiations held by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry with the respective bodies of Libya, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has told News.Az.
The aforementioned citizens – the crew members of Turkey’s Kalkanlar 1 ship were searched as missing since February 27, 2016. Though in their last telephone call to their family members they said the ship had drowned, they could not speak in detail. After the search by the Foreign Ministry, it came out that the indicated persons were taken hostage by the ‘Islamist forces’ in Libya’s Sirte, the report from the ministry says.
As Azerbaijan’s diplomatic mission in Libya had ceased its operation, Turkey’s diplomatic office in Libya was contacted for assistance. All the same Azerbaijan’s embassy in Libya was regularly contacted to ensure the release of Azerbaijani citizens. Moreover, their relatives were regularly received at the Foreign Ministry’s Consular Department, their concerns heard and information given about the measures taken.
As a result of undertaken measures, our citizens were freed from hostage and transported to the area controlled by state bodies. They were charged with the smuggle of diesel fuel from Libya and causing significant material damage to the budget.
On this basis Turkey’s diplomatic mission in Libya was asked to visit the isolation ward and familiarize with the detention conditions of Azerbaijani citizens. Their contact with relatives over phone was ensured. In addition, the Foreign Ministry demanded from Libya’s embassy to Azerbaijan to present the bill of indictment and provide consular assistance.
"On September 2, 2017, our citizens were brought from Libya to Turkey’s Istanbul, our general consulate in Istanbul prepared documents for their crossing the border and they were sent to Baku by airplane.
"In this connection we express our gratitude to the diplomatic office of brother Turkey in Libya, Turkey’s embassy in Baku and the Foreign Ministry of Turkey for their assistance in this issue," Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says.
