Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan blames NKR for breaking laws of war

The General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Azerbaijan has begun investigating a criminal case opened on the fact of death in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) of Gasan Gasanov, as well as of the arrest in the unrecognized republic of Dilkham Askerov and Shakhbaz Guliev.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that, according to the police of the NKR, Guliev, Askerov and the third member of their group Gasan Gasanov, who was killed during the detention, on June 29, 2014, illegally crossed the border with the aim of intelligence activities. The official Baku treats Guliev and Askerov as hostages.

According to Azerbaijani law enforcers, in July 2014, Dilkham Askerov, Shakhbaz Guliev and Gasan Gasanov were in the territory of the Kyalbajar District, controlled by Stepanakert, to visit the graves of their relatives. However, despite the fact that they are civilians and did not take direct part in warfare, Gasanov was killed and Guliev and Askerov were taken hostage by Armenian armed forces, and later convicted. Besides, they were tortured in violation of the international law, the Azerbaijani GPO asserts.

The "Trend" News Agency reports that the inquiry into the case was taken under personal control by the General Public Prosecutor of Azerbaijan.

Let us note here that earlier an application about the violation of the rights of Guliev and Askerov was sent by Azerbaijani lawyers to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.