Communication Operators Disconnected in Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd Villages, No Means of Contact Available, Lawyer Reports Details

After the war, in December, Arsen Ghazaryan, along with a unit of about 100 personnel under his command, traveled to the area of the villages of Artsakh - Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd, where they were stationed according to an order from higher command. The positions where they were deployed were not commanded by Arsen Ghazaryan. This was stated at a press conference by Vahan Hovhannisyan, the lawyer for the deputy colonel Arsen Ghazaryan, who is accused in the case of the capture of 62 Shiraz residents.

According to the lawyer, after the deployment, communication with the subordinate units was lost due to geographical conditions and distance. “Arsen Ghazaryan, along with a few dozen individuals, was located in the Hin Tagher-Khtsaberd area, while about 60 individuals were situated at higher positions, and there were no means of communication available. Several radio communication devices were provided to Arsen Ghazaryan, but they did not operate on their frequency there, and the communication devices they had were shortwave, which did not allow for proper communication,” emphasized Hovhannisyan.

Additionally, the attack by Azerbaijanis on the villages occurred on December 13, when the Armenian communication operators in the area were disconnected. If prior to that there had been at least some means to contact subordinate units via mobile phones, on the day of the attack and the handing over of the villages, mobile communication was unavailable. “Arsen Ghazaryan has the authority to order the disconnection of communication on those days. This is where the crux of the matter lies, and this is where the prosecuting body must take certain actions to determine how communication coincidentally got disconnected on the very day of the Azerbaijani forces’ attack, resulting in an inability to ensure proper defense,” noted Hovhannisyan, adding that Ghazaryan and his subordinate personnel were only armed with submachine guns and that on December 13, the elite “Yashma” troop launched an attack on several dozen individuals—about 40 persons.