Armenia seeks Red Cross help over man held in Azerbaijan

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenia is seeking international help in securing the return of a man accused of crossing illegally into neighbouring Azerbaijan and being a spy.

Karen Kazarian was detained Sunday around the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan’s government says he was part of an intelligence unit that illegally crossed the border.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry says the prisoner has psychiatric problems, and Armenian police spokesman Ashot Agaronian said he had been held in a special medical institution since 2013. He did not say how Kazarian had been able to cross the border.

Armenia’s Defence Ministry has sought help from the International Committee of the Red Cross to secure Kazarian’s return.

Ilaha Huseynova, spokeswoman for the Azerbaijan office of the ICRC, said “confidential bilateral dialogue” is under way on the case.