BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20
Trend:
The criminal case against Armenian terrorists who tortured Azerbaijani prisoners of war has been sent to the court, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office.
“The facts of hostage-taking, torture and ill-treatment of prisoners and other persons protected by international humanitarian law have been revealed during the investigation of the criminal case launched by the Military Prosecution Office under various articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan in connection with war crimes against peace and humanity committed against Azerbaijanis in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan by the armed forces of the Armenian separatist regime operating illegally in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan and by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia,” the message said.
“Thus, the investigation established that an Azerbaijani citizen taken hostage in July 1991 in a forest called "Ballija" near Khojaly city followed by unlawful restriction of liberty, and a civilian taken hostage in Tapgaragoyunlu village, Goranboy district on September 13, 1999, and brought to Yerevan city, the Republic of Armenia, who was detained in one of the military units in the city and acted as an interpreter during the interrogation by the Armenian special services, were tortured by Ludwig Mkrtchyan, a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, born in 1969, who upon prior conspiracy entered into criminal relations with a group of individuals participating in the activities of the armed groups consisting of nationalist Armenians living in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, as well as coming from the Republic of Armenia,” the message said.
“The investigation also revealed that 11 Azerbaijani citizens taken captives, at different times were beaten and exposed to various tortures in Khojavend and Aghdara districts, Shusha prison and Yerevan city. Struck by automatic gunfire, a serviceman of the N military unit, Defense Ministry, was killed,” the message said.
“Mkrtichyan was detained by the servicemen of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on October 20, 2020 in the territory of Malikjanli village, Fuzuli district,” the message said.
“Investigative measures carried out also exposed the criminal acts by Alyosha Khosrovyan, a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, born in 1967, who together with Ludwig Mkrtichyan brutally treated and tortured Azerbaijanis,” the message said.
“It was revealed that Khosrovyan tortured five Azerbaijanis during their captivity and subjected them to cruel and inhumane treatment,” the message said.
“Thus, a former soldier of the military unit N of the Ministry of Defense taken prisoner in April 1994 was exposed to cruel and inhumane treatment by Khosrovyan,” the message said. “During his illegal detention in one of the houses in Mysmina (Aghbulag) village, Khojavand district he was forced to do heavy construction work of a house for the so-called Minister of Defense of the “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” Samvel Babayan, and inflicted various bodily injuries.”
“Khosrovyan also demonstrated especial cruelty to soldiers of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, who were taken captives in 1993-1994 and illegally detained in the Shusha city prison,” the message said. “He tortured them by exposing to regular beatings, starving, and inflicting mental anguish and physical pain.”
“Khosrovyan was detained by servicemen of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on October 3, 2020 while conducting reconnaissance operations in the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the message said.
“There are well-founded suspicions that Mkrtichyan and Khosrovyan committed crimes provided by Articles 113 (torture), 115.2 (violation of war laws and customs), 279.1 (creation of armed formations or groups not provided by law), 318.2 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) and other articles of the Criminal Code,” the message said. “Therefore, they were charged with these articles, and by court decisions, arrest as a measure of restraint was chosen against them.”
“On May 20, 2021 the indictment on the criminal case was approved and sent to Baku Military Court for consideration,” the message said. “Comprehensive measures are ongoing to expose the criminal acts of other persons in the criminal case and bring them to justice.”
“The Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan reiterates that in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of Ilham Aliyev, Supreme Commander of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the perpetrators of crimes against peace and humanity, as well as of war crimes will be identified and prosecuted no matter how much time has elapsed since the crimes were committed,” the message said.