Azerbaijani Armed Forces Launch Aggressive War Against Armenia, Criminal Case Initiated

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in violation of Article 4 of the 2nd paragraph of the UN Charter, have targeted the combat positions, military units of Armenia's armed forces, as well as deep rear facilities and civilian settlements in the Tavush region bordering Armenia-Azerbaijan during military attacks between July 12 and 17, 2020, using mortar-rocket systems and drones. As a result, servicemen were killed and civilian populations suffered material and property damage.

Continuing its criminal intentions to wage an aggressive war, on September 29, 2020, starting at 10:30 AM, the Azerbaijani armed forces, motivated by national hatred, began to intensively shell and bomb the buildings of a military unit located in the Vardenis region of Armenia's Gegharkunik province, as well as several settlements inhabited by civilians in the same area using strike drones and artillery. This resulted in the death of a civilian and damage to private property and civil infrastructure.

The premeditated aggressive war waged by the Azerbaijani armed forces is also evidenced by the fact that in order to achieve military superiority, they executed their criminal intentions on the morning of September 27, 2020, violating the conditions of the ceasefire agreement signed on May 12, 1994, by the ministers of defense of the Republic of Artsakh, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Armenia within the framework of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan armed confrontation, as well as widely recognized norms of international law, fully utilizing air and ground military technology, and employing motor rifle forces to conduct large-scale offensive operations along the entire length of the border of the Republic of Artsakh against the military positions of the Artsakh Defense Army, military facilities of significance, and civilian settlements located significantly far from the border, including the capital Stepanakert. In particular, these places were subjected to intensive artillery and missile strikes.

As a result of these actions, many servicemen and civilians were killed, considerable damage was inflicted on military and civilian facilities, as well as personal property of the population. A criminal case was initiated by the relevant authorities of the Republic regarding the facts of these actions against Artsakh on September 27, 2020, and an investigation commenced.

The factual data obtained indicate the ongoing nature of military operations by the Azerbaijani armed forces, which are systematic, premeditated, and targeted, carried out out of national hatred and grossly violating norms of international law, specifically the prohibition of aggressive military actions established by the resolution of the 29th session of the UN General Assembly.

Considering that the actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces possess characteristics of launching and waging an aggressive war against the Republic of Armenia, including murders and attempted murders in aggravating circumstances, as well as causing particularly large-scale damage to property, the Armenian Military Prosecutor's Office has initiated a criminal case under Article 384, part 2, Article 104, part 2, points 1, 6, 7, 13, and Articles 34-104, part 2, points 1, 6, 7, 13, and Article 185, part 3, point 2 of the RA Criminal Code. The criminal case has been sent to the main department for military investigation of the RA Investigative Committee for further investigation.