Investigation into Abduction of Armenian Soldiers in Azerbaijan Completed

The investigation into the criminal case concerning Armenian soldiers Harutyun Hovakimyan and Karen Ghazaryan, who were abducted from the territory of the Republic of Armenia on May 26, has been completed by the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan.

In a statement released by the opposing side, it is indicated that, "During the investigation, it was revealed that Armenian citizens, soldiers Harutyun Yuriki Hovakimyan and Karen Ashoti Ghazaryan, illegally crossed the state border of Azerbaijan with the violent agreement of a group of individuals using illegally obtained firearms and military ammunition, applying violence against the border guards of the state border service in the Zangilan region. Furthermore, threatening to carry out terrorism in our country's territory, they imported firearms and military ammunition through smuggling routes into the Razdara village of the Zangilan region and attacked the military personnel guarding the state border located in that village."

The investigation also established that one firearm of the AKM model Kalashnikov and ten cartridges of 5.45 mm caliber, which are considered tools of the crime, were found with the members of the Armenian diversion group who attempted to escape.

Charges have been filed against Hovakimyan and Ghazaryan under articles 206.3.2 (smuggling of weapons and ammunition by a group of individuals in pre-arrangement), 214.2.1, 214.2.3 (terrorism by a group of individuals in pre-arrangement using firearms), 228.2.1 (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage of firearms by a group of individuals in pre-arrangement), 283.2.1 (incitement to national, racial, social, or religious hatred and enmity using violence or threatening to use it), and 318.2 (illegal crossing of the state border of Azerbaijan committed by a group in pre-arrangement, or by an organized group, or using violence or the threat of its application). On June 21, the criminal case was sent to the court for serious crimes.