Armenian Authorities Hand Over State Secret Documents to Azerbaijan: 'Factinfo'

The Armenian authorities have handed over documents containing state secrets to Azerbaijan. In response to a written inquiry from 'Factinfo', both the Ministry of Defense of Armenia and the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh confirmed this.

As previously reported, the Armenian side transferred maps regarding the minefields in Aghdam, followed by those in Fizuli and Zangelan, presenting it as an act of goodwill.

'Factinfo' sent written inquiries to the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defense, and the Defense Army of Artsakh to clarify whether these documents had been declassified according to established procedures and who made the decision to hand the minefield identification documents to Azerbaijan. In response to our inquiry, the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces stated that they do not have documents referred to as maps of mined areas, and therefore cannot provide any information.

After receiving such a response from the General Staff, we sent a second inquiry to the same organization, this time specifying the neutral term 'any documents that enable the localization of mines'; however, the General Staff again refused to answer the questions.

'Factinfo' sent a similar inquiry to the Defense Army of Artsakh, where they noted that they cannot provide information because the requested information contains state secrets.

A similar response was received from the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, stating, 'In response to your inquiry addressed to the acting Minister of Defense dated 30.06.2021 No. 59-A-21, I inform you that the request for information is denied on the basis of Article 8, Part 1 of the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Freedom of Information and the requirements of points 5 and 8 of the list approved by the decision No. 173 of the Government of the Republic of Armenia dated 13.03.1998, since the requested information is classified.'

In other words, the Armenian authorities transferred information deemed state secrets to an enemy country without following any declassification procedures, and this is the case when both the transmitted information and whether these documents were declassified prior to their transfer to Azerbaijan is considered state secrets by the Armenian public.

It should be emphasized that some officials in Armenia have presented the transfer of these maps as an act of goodwill, while it constitutes a crime under the Criminal Code of Armenia. Specifically, Article 299 of the Criminal Code of Armenia considers the transfer of information containing state secrets to a foreign state as treason.

'Treason, which includes switching sides to the enemy, espionage, handing over state secrets to a foreign state or foreign organization or their representatives, or providing other assistance to carry out hostile activities, committed by a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, to the detriment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or external security of the Republic of Armenia, is punishable by imprisonment for fifteen to twenty years or life imprisonment with or without property confiscation,' states Article 299 of the Criminal Code of Armenia.

It can be said that we are dealing with an apparent manifestation of state treason by high-ranking officials of Armenia.