The court trial of the criminal case into defendants Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev, the two members of an Azerbaijani intelligence-gathering sabotage team that had infiltrated into the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), came to an end on Wednesday at NKR capital city Stepanakert seat of the NKR First Instance General Jurisdiction Court.

Armenian News-NEWS.am was informed from the court that Armenian soldier Hakob Injighulyan—who was held captive in Azerbaijan for more than a year, who finally had returned to Armenia on October 2, and who recently returned to military duty—gave testimony at Wednesday’s court hearing.

To note, a video recording of Injighulyan’s interrogation in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku was found in the possession of the saboteurs.

“The phase of judicial arguments will begin on December 12,” the court also informed.

The verdict on the saboteurs is expected to be announced before the end of the year. 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 trial had begun on October 27.