Details added (first version posted on 13:23)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 28
By Samir Ali - Trend:
The trial on the criminal case of Armenians accused of espionage against Azerbaijan (David Davtyan and Gevorg Sujyan) continues at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes, Trend reports on July 28.
Witness Vidadi Orujaliyev gave testimony during the trial, chaired by Judge Ali Mammadov. Another witness, Colonel Lieutenant Vugar Abdullayev couldn’t take part in the trial.
A certificate from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense testifying that Abdullayev was on duty in connection with the special assignment was given to the court. Therefore, Abdullayev will be unable to attend the trial soon.
At the same time, Abdullayev confirmed the testimony given by him during the investigation. They were announced at the trial at his request.
The process of considering the files on the criminal case was launched at the trial.
Then Gevorg Sujyan delivered speech. He apologized for his actions.
“We apologize to everyone, I beg your pardon,” Sujyan said.
Accused Davit Davtyan also apologized for his actions.
Then the completion of the judicial investigation was announced.
The prosecutor delivered a speech. He demanded 16-year-imprisonment for each of the accused. After serving their sentence, they will be deported from Azerbaijan.
The defense representative delivered a speech at the trial. The defendants had the final say.
Davtyan and Sujyan apologized.
“We are grateful to all the employees of the court and investigation, who treated us well,” Davtyan and Sujyan said.
The court sentenced Davtyan and Sujyan to 15-year-imprisonment each.
In accordance with the verdict, after serving their sentence, they should be deported from Azerbaijan. Davtyan and Sujyan will spend the first five years in prison while the rest of the term in a strict regime corrective colony.
Thus, in accordance with the indictment, Davtyan and Sujyan, having entered into a conspiracy, illegally crossed the state border of Azerbaijan, collected information of a military nature and handed it over to the Armenian special services, having committed espionage.
So, the Armenian special services attracted them to collaboration in 2019. They entered the territory of Azerbaijan from Goris (Armenia), joined an illegal armed group, and illegally acquired weapons and ammunition in September 2020. Davtyan and Sujyan collected information about the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the territories where military operations were conducted, about the number of military personnel, as well as other data, which they handed over to the Armenian special services.
Davtyan and Sujyan were detained by the servicemen of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces while passing along the Lachin corridor to Shusha on November 11, 2020.
Thus, Davtyan and Sujyan were charged under Articles 228 (illegal possession of weapons), 276 (espionage), 279 (creation of armed groups not envisaged by the law) and 318 (illegal crossing of the state border) of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.