STEPANAKERT. – Member of Azerbaijani intelligence-gathering sabotage team told some details about the murder of minor resident of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Smbat Tsakanyan. (photos)

The court hearing of the criminal case into the two members of an Azerbaijani intelligence-gathering sabotage team got underway on Monday in Stepanakert.

Despite the inconsistency and confusing evidence, partly caused by poor knowledge of Russian language, Guliyev said that he met with Askerov in 1992 in Lachin. After meeting Askerov, Guliyev worked as a male nurse in hospital of Lachin for a month and a half, and later went to work in Martakert, then Mirbashir. In the late 1990s Guliyev went to Russia where he spent six years in jail for a theft, but was later acquitted.

In 2004 he met his wife Albina in the Russian city of Perm, in the same year Guliyev renewed acquaintance with Askerov who offered to go to Karabakh.

“After returning to Baku, I really needed money,” Guliyev complained.

He met with Hasan Hasanov in 2013. The latter introduced himself as “Adil”, and it was he who brought the weapons to go to Karvachar Region.

“They were taking some photos. I do not know. I was not interested,” Guliyev said.

During the trial, Guliyev told in details about their “journey” to Karabakh. He claimed he did not see the kidnapping of Smbat Tsakanyan. In several days, Askerov said the boy must be killed. Guliyev claims he did not see the murder, too.