Azerbaijani Soldier Opens Fire on Stepanakert Residents from 'Below Shushi', Casualty Reported: Details

On November 8, 2021, around 3 PM, an unidentified soldier of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan opened fire on civilians in the territory under the control of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. The incident occurred in the area known as 'Below Shushi' along the Shushi-Lachin highway, with the apparent intent to instill fear among the residents of Artsakh through acts of violence fueled by national and religious hatred.

The soldier fired at a group of individuals engaged in the repair of a water pipeline, resulting in the death of Martik Yeremyan, a 1998-born resident of Stepanakert, who sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died on the spot. Gevorg Melkumyan, Gagik Ghazaryan, and Armen Sargsyan also sustained gunshot wounds during the assault.

A group of investigators led by Massis Ter-Tarkhanyan, the head of the Territorial Investigative Department of the Artsakh Investigative Committee, has arrived at the scene. A criminal case has been initiated under Article 103, Part 2, Points 1, 9, and 14, and Article 225, Part 2, Point 2 of the Artsakh Criminal Code. The investigation has been entrusted to the investigative group, which is conducting urgent procedural and investigative actions to clarify all circumstances of the case.