Prosecutor General's Office initiates criminal cases on Armenia's large-scale provocation

Units of the Armenian Armed Forces, grossly violating the norms and principles of international law, the Geneva Convention of 1949 and its additional Protocols, decisions and resolutions of the UN Security Council, the requirements of the trilateral declaration of November 10, 2020 signed between Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, crossed the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border on the night of September 12, 2022 and they committed a large-scale provocation in the area of Dashkesan, Kelbajar, Lachin and Zangilan.

Press service of the Prosecutor General's Office told Caliber.Az that sabotage groups of the armed forces of Armenia in the dark, using the mountainous terrain and the existing gorges, in various directions carried out mining of territories between the positions of units of the Azerbaijani Army and supply roads.

Some positions, shelters and strongholds of the Azerbaijani Army on the territory of Dashkesan, Kalbajar and Lachin districts were subjected to intense shelling by units of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the settlements of Basarkecher, Istisu, Qarakilse and Gorus from weapons of various calibers, including mortars. This resulted in personnel casualties and damage to military infrastructure.

In order to prevent provocations by Armenian armed forces and military threats to the territory and sovereignty of our country, to ensure the safety of our military personnel, including civilians involved in infrastructure works in the Kalbajar and Lachin regions, the units of the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan and the State Border Guard Service deployed in this direction have taken resolute response measures.

It should be noted that during the last month, along with intensive and systematic provocations by Armenian armed forces towards Lachin, Gadabay, Dashkesan and Kalbajar districts of the state border, shelling of Azerbaijani army positions in these districts by Armenia, concentration of offensive weapons, heavy artillery and personnel has been recorded along the Azerbaijani border.

Based on the collected materials related to the events, criminal cases were initiated in the Ganja, Gubadli and Kelbajar military prosecutor's offices under articles 100.1 (planning, preparation or initiation of an aggressive war), 100.2 (waging an aggressive war), 116.0.7 (attack on unprotected territories, settlements and demilitarized zones), 120.2.7 (murder of two and more persons), 120.2.12 (murder of a person with a national, racial, religious affiliation) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.

Currently, the staff of the Prosecutor's Office is conducting all possible investigative and operational measures.

General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan is taking necessary measures to further reveal aggressive nature of the Republic of Armenia in international arena, to bring to justice and punish the servicemen of the Armenian armed forces who committed various crimes under international law.

Representatives of the media, as well as users of social networks are asked not to publish unofficial and inaccurate information.

Additional information will be made available to the public.