Incident

The trial of the two more Armenian citizens accused of terrorism Sargsyan Ishkhan Ashotin and Rafaelyan Vladimir Otarin has continued, APA reports.

The trial chaired by Judge Elmin Rustamov of the Ganja Court of Grave Crimes was declared open in the administrative building of the Sabunchu District Court, today.

The prosecutor announced the indictment.

According to the indictment, on May 27, 2021, at around 03:00 Sargsyan Ishkhan Ashoti group commander in the Special intelligence military unit of the Armenian Defense Ministry, and Rafaelyan Vladimir Otarin serving military service as engineer sapper once again passed illegally the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the direction of Kalbajar region, carried out mining works on the supply and other passage roads of the units of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan located in that area and other designated points passing through the territory of Yukhari Ayrim village of Kalbajar region.

It was determined that those persons committed that criminal acts and were caught red-handed, a total of 23 TM 62-M and E-00-M mines were found and seized.

Both were charged under Article 214.2.3 of the Criminal Code (Terrorism, with the use of firearms and objects used as weapons), Article 228 (illegal acquisition of weapons), Article 318 (illegal crossing of the border), Article 282 ( provocation).

The judge noted that if the accusation is confirmed in court, the accused persons may be sentenced to 14 to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.

Azerbaijani Army officer Nijat Abdulhuseynov has testified as a witness in court. He noted that on May 27, 2021, while serving in the battle position in the Ayrim settlement territory of the Kalbajar region, they have got information that activity was detected in the opposite position of the enemy at night: “We have given reinforcement to all positions. We were informed that 6-8 servicemen of the enemy from the left flank of that battle position enter our battle position. We took the full observation and watched their acts with the night-vision devices. At about 3-5 in the morning, the enemy was moving to our supply routes. The enemy wanted to plant 4 anti-tank mines, and 20 anti-personnel mines. We conducted an operation and disarmed them. Their aim was to mine our supply routes leading to our combat position”.

Another officer testified as a witness Huseyn Hasanov noted that on May 27, information has been entered to the headquarter from the battle positions: “We were informed that the Armenian diversion group has entered the Azerbaijani territory. We observed, and enabled them to move forward up inside. We immediately involved reserve forces of the battalion in the territory. Diversion forces of the enemy have been caught on the red-handed and they were disarmed. Arms and mines have been detected on them. We investigated the territories, it has been revealed that they have planted mines on the supply routes leading to our 3 battle positions. The mines have been neutralized. We have accordingly handed over the detained. They have entered and tried to mine 150-200 meters of our territory from the state border”.
The accused Ishkhan Sargsyan said in his testimony that he served in a special military unit in Armenia and on May 24 he received orders from the command: “I was sent to Sisyan region in that day. On May 25 we joined our group located around Garagol. Then I was sent to Basarkechar territory. I received an order to conduct exploration there. I received an order to mine the road. When we finished our works Azerbaijani soldiers came. Some could return back, but we surrendered.”

The accused admitted that they received a combat mission in connection with the explosion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline: "During the Tovuz battles, there was such a combat mission. The Central Command ordered us to explore the protected areas in that area. In connection with the order to blow up the oil pipeline, I marked the positions of the Azerbaijani Army on the map and calculated the protected areas. I made notes on maps and documents and handed them over to the relevant authorities."

Another defendant, Vladimir Rafaelyan, said he arrived in Basarkecher on May 26 with his commanders: “By the order of the commander, I joined the special forces. Ishkhan was appointed as my boss. We brought 3 tank mines and 20 anti-personnel mines to the area. I had to obey Ishkhan's order. We entered the Kalbajar region at night. We were following Ishkhan. We received an order from Ishkhan to bury the mines. While burying the mines, the servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army approached us. We were disarmed and surrendered.”

The trial will continue on January 24.

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