Investigations may establish new charges against massacre suspect Khachatryan

If new facts surface during the investigation, additional charges may be brought against Vagif Khachatryan, who is accused of committing massacres of Azerbaijanis in the village of Meshali during the First Karabakh War in the early 1990s.

Fuad Mammadov, Deputy Military Prosecutor of Azerbaijan, said during the investigation it was established that Khachatryan and other Armenians, who participated in the armed attack on the village of Meshali, planned it in advance, which is confirmed by the testimony of both witnesses and the victims, and the conclusions of experts.

“Various examinations were carried out. During the investigation, it was established that this attack was pre-planned. Preliminary planning is confirmed by investigative materials. The goal was to massively expel the people from Meshali and then kill them. Therefore, this criminal case is being investigated in the investigative department of the Military Prosecutor's Office under Article 103 - "Genocide", as well as under Article 107 - "Deportation and forced displacement of the population," Mammadov was quoted as saying by Trend.

Mammadov added that during the investigation it was proved that nine persons had committed crimes in Meshali. According to him, investigative and operational activities are ongoing and the case is regularly reported to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Military Prosecutor's Office.

On December 22, 1991, Vagif Khachatryan, as a member of the Armenian military formations, participated in the massacre of the civilian Azerbaijani population in the village of Meshali, Khojaly region.

During the massacre, 25 Azerbaijanis were killed, 14 wounded, and 358 others were expelled from their places of residence.

In a criminal case launched on the facts, Khachatryan was put under pre-trial detention until his criminal hearings.

Khachatryan was arrested on July 29 by the border guards of Azerbaijan at the Lachin checkpoint while trying to leave for Armenia reportedly for medical assistance under the aegis of the International Committee of the Red Cross.