STEPANAKERT. – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nagorno-Karabakh on Thursday visited the two Azerbaijani detainees—Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev—, and provided them with an opportunity to exchange family news.

Eteri Musayelyan, Communication Officer of the ICRC Mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, told about the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“According to its mandate, the ICRC will continue its visits to these individuals in detention on a regular basis to monitor treatment and conditions of detention and help to ensure that the detainees are able to maintain contact with their families,” Musayelyan added. 

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 First Instance General Jurisdiction Court of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) sentenced Askerov and Guliyev to life and 22 years, respectively, in prison.

Subsequently, the NKR Courts of Appeal and Cassation upheld this verdict.