Baku: Arrest of Khachatryan carried out within Azerbaijani legislation, int'l law

The Armenian side should support the prosecution of the perpetrators of crimes against humanity and massacres, including genocide against Azerbaijanis during the almost 30-year occupation, instead of protecting and covering them.

The remarks were made by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry in a statement in response to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's speech at the government meeting on August 3, Caliber.Az reports. 

During his speech, Pashinyan once again attempted to mislead the international community regarding the activities of the Lachin border checkpoint, as well as the issue of territorial integrity and delimitation, the ministry added.

"Pashinyan calls the June 15 shelling by the Armenian side of our border guards who raised the Azerbaijani flag on the Khakari Bridge built by Azerbaijan on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan a provocation by the Azerbaijani side, thus demonstrating once again that he justifies Armenia's provocations.

It is known that the claim that Azerbaijan has allegedly blocked the Lachin road has no factual basis. Azerbaijan has repeatedly declared the inadmissibility of the transportation of goods without our country's permission into our territory and the inadmissibility of the transportation of military equipment by Armenia under the guise of "humanitarian cargo".

The Lachin checkpoint is regulated by our country and is of great importance for controlling exit/entry to the Lachin road, which has been abused by Armenia for its illegal activities on the territory of our country for the past three years. The fact that the International Court of Justice, in its July 6 judgment, unanimously rejected the application for the liquidation of the Lachin border checkpoint once again proved that the claims of the Armenian side are groundless.

As confirmed at the Prague meeting on October 6, 2022, by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who declared that the Alma-Ata declaration of 1991 defines the borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and that the declaration is accepted as the basis for delimitation, at the same time continues territorial claims against Azerbaijan, promoting the so-called regime created as a result of Armenia's occupation on the territory of Azerbaijan, demonstrating that Armenia is not committed to territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as to the delimitation process.

Another reminder to the Armenian side, which misleads the public in connection with the arrest of Vagif Khachatryan, who committed a crime against humanity, that there are no restrictions in international humanitarian law on taking measures against war criminals. The arrest of this person was carried out within the framework of Azerbaijani legislation and international law.

If the Armenian side is really interested in peace and stability in the region, if it supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan not only in words but also in deeds, it should refrain from such provocative steps, support the use of the Aghdam-Khankandi road and other alternative routes for supplying Armenian residents. The Armenian side should also not hinder Azerbaijan's efforts to reintegrate Armenian residents," the statement reads.

To recap, Vagif Khachatryan was arrested by Azerbaijani border guards at the Lachin checkpoint on July 29.

Azerbaijan's General Prosecutor's Office said Khacatryan was arrested because he was a suspect in war crimes against Azerbaijanis during the first Karabakh war of the early 1990s. It pointed to his alleged involvement in a specific episode on December 22, 1991, in Meshali village of Khojaly district of Karabakh.