BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28
Trend:
Grossly violating its commitments under the Geneva Conventions, and neglecting the basic norms and principles of international humanitarian law, the leadership of Armenia continues to subject civilians, numerous houses and objects, as well as household premises to intensive artillery fire, Trend reports with reference to the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan.
The statement comes following the recent large-scale military provocation of Armenia's Armed Forces.
"Densely populated areas - regional and rural centers, civil infrastructure objects - hospitals, medical centers, school buildings, kindergartens are chosen as targets. By now, 27 civilians in total have been hospitalized with various injuries," the statement said.
"We deeply regret that Joshqun Pashayev, a resident of Evoghlu village (Aghdam District), was killed as a result of another Armenian shelling," said the statement.
Upon the fact a criminal case has been initiated by Aghdam Prosecutor's Office under Article 120.2.1 (deliberate murder committed by group of persons, on preliminary arrangement by group of persons, by organized group or criminal community (organization)), Article 120.2.4 (deliberate murder committed with special cruelty or in publicly dangers way), Article 120.2.7 (deliberate murder of two or more persons), Article 120.2.12 (deliberate murder on motive of national, racial, religious hatred or enmity), Article 100.2 (conducting aggressive war), and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
At present combat conditions all necessary investigative measures are being carried out by the prosecution authorities, said the statement.
The Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan conducts the necessary documentation and collects evidence to ensure that servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces who have committed various crimes are prosecuted and punished in accordance with international law.
Armenian armed forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the frontline, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27.
Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of the retaliation, Azerbaijani troops managed to liberate the territories previously occupied by Armenia: Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages (Fuzuli district), Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages (Jabrayil district).
Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of Azerbaijan's Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.