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Azerbaijan's State Commission calls on family members of missing persons to provide DNA samples

27 February 2025 13:22 (UTC +04:00)

"The State Commission has been carrying out the work of collecting biological samples from the family members of missing persons since 2014. As a result of this process, biological samples from more than 11 thousand donors, that is, from their close relatives, have been collected and systematized for more than 3,700 missing persons", Eldar Samadov, Deputy Head of the Working Group of the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing and Hostages of the Republic of Azerbaijan said in his interview to APA.

He noted that people who hesitated to provide biological samples before the Patriotic War, those who could not apply because they were abroad, have begun to apply with hope in the current process, as well as after the fate of some of the missing persons has already been determined.

"Undoubtedly, taking biological samples from them is of an important nature for the identification of the discovered remains.

However, I would like to note that we also have difficulties in this area as well. Despite the fact that the process began in 2014, some of the families of the missing persons still, to put it mildly, evade to provide biological samples. Citizens have been repeatedly addressed on the issue administratively and through the press. I consider it necessary to take this opportunity to appeal once again to our citizens who have not provided DNA samples: Dear families of the missing persons, since this is a very important factor in determining the fate of the missing persons, we ask you to approach the State Commission again and provide DNA samples.

It should be particularly noted that the DNA profiles of the collected biological samples are archived in the Genetic Research Center established at the Main Military Medical Directorate of the State Security Service by order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ali Nagiyev, based on the appeal of the Chairman of the State Commission. Molecular-genetic expertise related to the collection of DNA samples from the families of the missing persons and the identification of human remains is also carried out at the Genetic Research Center of the Main Military Medical Directorate of the State Security Service," Eldar Samadov said.