Proposing the exchange of criminals with an innocent person is the pinnacle of cynicism, stated Davit Babayan, Presidential Spokesperson of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh).
He noted this commenting, at the request of Armenian News-NEWS.am am, on the recent statements by Ismayil Akhundov, head of the working group of Azerbaijan’s State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People. This Azerbaijani official had told APA news agency of Azerbaijan that are ready to negotiate the exchange of Azerbaijan citizens Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev for NKR citizen Arsen Bagdasaryan.
“There are both positive and negative aspects in the statement by the representative of the Azerbaijani side,” noted Babayan. “The positive aspect is that it [i.e. Azerbaijan] [albeit] mediated, but [thus] recognizes the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
“As for the proposal itself, it can be regarded as provocation. Askerov and Guliyev are criminals, who have carried out illegal activities in the NKR territory. There is terrorism and murder in their account. Their trial was conducted in transparency, journalists and human rights activists from a variety of countries attended it. The crime of the both of them is proved, they are currently serving sentence [in Artsakh].”
At the same time, however, he stressed that the matter concerning Arsen Baghdasaryan cannot become a subject to blackmail.
“The Azerbaijani authorities must automatically return Arsen Baghdasaryan to [his] homeland,” said Davit Babayan. “We [i.e. Artsakh] always return soldiers and civilians who accidentally have passed into our side. The [Azerbaijani] treatment of Baghdasaryan is a most blatant violation of human rights and moral values. Especially, the proposing of the exchange of criminals with an innocent person is the pinnacle of cynicism.”
Azerbaijani diversionary and reconnaissance team member Dilham Askerov was charged with espionage; unauthorized border trespass; kidnapping and violence against a minor, committed by an organized group; murder committed by an organized group motivated by ethnic hatred; and attempt of murder of two persons, committed by an organized group, motivated by ethnic hatred. The other team member, Shahbaz Guliyev, was charged with espionage; unauthorized border trespass; kidnapping and violence against a minor, committed by an organized group; and murder committed by an organized group motivated by ethnic hatred.
In December 2014, the NKR First Instance General Jurisdiction Court sentenced Askerov and Guliyev to life and 22 years, respectively, in prison. Subsequently, the NKR Courts of Appeal and Cassation upheld this verdict.
NKR citizen Arsen Baghdasaryan, on the other hand, was taken into Azerbaijani captivity on December 26, 2014. And within the framework of a hastily concocted case, he was charged with “sabotage” and sentenced to fifteen years in a maximum security prison.
