Azerbaijan detains former deputy commander of Armenian occupation forces Statement by State Security Service/VIDEO

The Azerbaijani State Security Service continues holding preliminary investigations due to numerous terrorist acts committed by illegal Armenian armed groups in the Azerbaijani territory where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed, which resulted in casualties.

Proceeding from the obtained evidence, 52-year-old Armenian citizen Davit Manukyan committed crimes under Articles 214.2.1, 214.2.2, 214.2.3 (terrorism by an organised group), 228.3 (illegal acquisition, storage and transportation of firearms, their components, ammunition, explosives), 279.3 (creation of illegal armed formations and groups) and 318.1 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan), the State Security Service told Caliber.Az.

Manukyan was detained and brought to criminal responsibility as an accused on September 27. A preventive measure (detention) was chosen upon a court decision.

According to the indictment, although the tripartite declaration dated November 10, 2020, envisages the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a citizen of Armenia, a serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, Major General Davit Manukyan, born and registered in the Republic of Armenia, continued committing criminal acts in the Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan serving as “first deputy commander of the Defence Army of the Garabagh Republic”, was organising, managing the illegal armed formations on the Azerbaijani territory and was providing these groups with ammunition, explosives and devices.

In addition, Davit Manukyan participated as a member of terrorist groups in the organisation of terrorist acts accompanied by explosions, fires and other incidents posing a threat to people's lives, causing harm to their health, damage to property, with the aim of disrupting public security in Azerbaijan, creating panic among the population, influencing decision-making by public authorities and international organisations.

At present, investigative and operational measures continue in the criminal case.