YEREVAN. – Afghan youth Shokat Aminzai and Sediqhollah Alizadeh, who had crossed the Turkey-Armenia border in October, told Armenian investigators that they had crossed the border to ask for the right to asylum and accommodation.

Their attorney, Meri Alaverdyan, told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“I already submitted an application to the migration service, which replied that the matter is being considered,” Alaverdyan added.

In the attorney’s words, these youth are Afghan citizens, and they testified that they had fled their country and appeared in a third country, and they had not even known at first as to which country’s border they were crossing into.

“I had motioned that the charge [against them] be commuted, but the investigative body had rejected it, and forwarded the case—with the indictment—to the court,” Alaverdyan said.

She noted, however, that pursuant to the law, if the people who crossed the border seek asylum, the criminal case is immediately dropped.

According to the indictment, Shokat Aminzai had reached a preliminary agreement with Sediqhollah Alizadeh, and they crossed the Turkish-Armenian border on October 6. But they were apprehended by Armenian the border service officers.

A criminal charge was brought against them, and they were arrested.