Goris Man Poses as Azerbaijani Soldier, Demands Nude Photos from Relatives of Missing Soldiers

A 40-year-old resident of Goris has posed as an Azerbaijani soldier and threatened the female relatives of missing servicemen from the Armenian Armed Forces with violence, demanding nude photographs from them. The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia (RA) has provided details about this alarming incident.

The investigation revealed that during the war that began on September 27, 2020, against the Republic of Artsakh, the man altered his personal page on the social network Facebook to 'Азиз Мурадов' to deceive users searching for their missing relatives. He identified users, including a 14-year-old girl, who had made posts seeking information about their missing loved ones.

As a result, the Goris resident contacted vulnerable female users through the Messenger application, falsely claiming to have direct communication with their missing relatives allegedly held in Azerbaijani penitentiaries. While many users ignored his messages, some believing his claims responded and began corresponding with him, hoping to gain information.

Exploiting their vulnerability, the man promised to arrange phone calls with captured servicemen and manipulated their trust, using the 'Magicut' and 'Cupace' applications to send altered photos featuring the faces of missing soldiers. He then pressured these individuals to send nude photographs and videos, threatening to inflict harm on their captured relatives if they refused to comply.

Based on sufficient evidence, the 40-year-old has been charged under Articles 132, Part 2(1) and (4), and 132.2, Part 2(4) of the RA Criminal Code, and a measure of restraint has been applied against him in the form of detention. The preliminary investigation has concluded, and the criminal case with an indictment has been sent to the Prosecutor for court proceedings.