The Russian-language translated book, entitled Don’t Go Alone to Kelbajar [i.e., Karvachar], Father, by Azerbaijani writer Ziaddin Ismayilov, and which is about Dilham Askerov, has been considered evidence at the court hearing of the criminal case into Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev, the two members of an Azerbaijani intelligence-gathering sabotage team, which is still in progress at the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR; Artsakh) capital city Stepanakert seat of the NKR First Instance General Jurisdiction Court.

Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from Artsakhpress that the book depicts several cases of Askerov violating the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border, and the crimes he had committed in Karvachar.

In particular, the book speaks about Askerov’s meetings with the Azerbaijani special services, and before appearing in Karvachar.

In addition, the author of the book keeps pointing to Askerov’s hatred towards Armenians.

But in response to the court’s and the state prosecutor’s queries as to why he hates the Armenians, Askerov noted that he has no hatred and enmity towards Armenians and that this was an imagination by the author of the book.

According to the NKR Police, Azerbaijani citizens Shahbaz Guliyev (born in 1968), Dilham Askerov (born in 1960), and Hasan Hasanov—who was shot and killed by law enforcement agents at the spot—illegally crossed the state border of Karabakh, and armed with weapons and ammunition on June 29. The three entered the territory of the Shahumyan region of Karabakh as spies to collect information and carry out espionage.

On July 4, they kidnapped and murdered the Karabakh citizen, 17-year-old Smbat Tsakanyan, whose body was found on July 15 with gunshot wounds in a forest at Shahumyan region.

In addition, on the evening of July 11, Hasanov killed Yerevan resident Sargis Abrahamyan (born in 1971), and severely wounded Armenian Dzoraghbyur village resident Karine Davtyan, on the Vardenis-Karvachar highway. Hasanov was armed and he resisted during the arrest; as a result, he was neutralized by the NKR special forces. The two others, Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilham Askerov, were detained.

Dilham Askerov is 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. Shahbaz Guliyev is 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.

The aforesaid court hearing began on October 27.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am