Azerbaijanis Issue Calls for Violence Against Armenian Armed Forces Personnel

A criminal case has been initiated regarding the illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Armenia by Azerbaijani armed forces soldiers, a violation of Armenia's territorial integrity and the killing of an Armenian serviceman. This was reported by Gor Abrahamyan, an advisor to the Armenian Prosecutor General, who provided details about the incident involving the death of the Armenian serviceman.

“On May 25, 2021, at around 14:20, a group of armed soldiers from the Azerbaijan Republic's armed forces, organized by their commanders, illegally crossed the state border of the Republic of Armenia in the administrative area of the Vardenis community in the Gegharkunik region, specifically at the border section of Verin Shorja. Intending to violate Armenia’s territorial integrity, they issued calls for violence against the Armenian armed forces personnel stationed in that area, demanding that they not resist and vacate the territory. During the ensuing altercation, they intentionally fired rounds at the Armenian servicemen, resulting in a gunshot wound to the abdomen of contract serviceman G. Khurshudyan, born in 1989.

The serviceman was transferred to the Gegharkunik garrison hospital, where his biological death was recorded. A criminal case has been initiated at the Sevan garrison military prosecutor’s office regarding the illegal crossing of Armenia’s state border by the Azerbaijan armed forces and acts aimed at transferring parts of Armenia’s territory to another state through violence, as well as the deliberate murder of the Armenian armed forces serviceman. This is based on the provisions of Article 329, Part 2, Article 300.2, and Article 104, Part 2, Points 1, 6, and 13 of the Armenian Criminal Code. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case has been entrusted to the fifth garrison investigative department of the Military Investigative Main Directorate of the RA Investigative Committee.

Note that the Ministry of Defense of Armenia reported today, on May 25, around 13:00, that conscript soldier M. Hovhannisyan was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in a garrison located in the northeastern part of Armenia. I find it necessary to inform that at this stage, materials are being prepared regarding the incident, and all necessary urgent actions are being taken. The incident did not occur in the Gegharkunik region, as reported by certain media outlets. I ask that misinformation not be disseminated,” wrote the advisor to the Prosecutor General.