STEPANAKERT. – The attorney of saboteur Dilham Askerov has presented the essence of the complaint during hearing in the Court of Appeal in the NKR capital city of Stepanakert (photos).
The attorney said his client is not guilty of the murder and kidnapping of a minor, as well as robbing the house. According to attorney, the third member of the gang Hasan Hasanov is guilty of the crimes.
Askerov admitted espionage charges in part, claiming he did not know if the video can be used to the detriment of Karabakh. With regard to the abduction of Smbat Tsakanyan, Askerov's attorney said that his client was only shooting the video. The lawyer also said that the evidence available in the case – the fact that Askerov said “boy can no longer come with us” – is not a confirmation that he was killed.
Askerov agreed with the view presented by the attorney, adding that he went to Qarvachar to visit the native land. The accused said he was there 6-7 times and saw many men, women and children, but had never touched anyone.
Askerov also denied cooperation with Azerbaijani special services, and expressed discontent with any kind of law enforcement agencies. On the whole, Askerov believes the charged brought against him are “too grave”.
“I am charged as if I were Bin Laden or Basayev,” he said.
Finally, Askerov said he is not guilty of a murder and demanded release or a death penalty, not agreeing with life imprisonment.
As reported earlier, according to the NKR Police, Azerbaijani citizens Shahbaz Guliyev (born in 1968), Dilham Askerov (born in 1960), and Hasan Hasanov—who was killed by the Armenian armed forces while rendering these saboteurs ineffective—had illegally crossed the state border of Karabakh on June 29, 2014, and they were armed with weapons and ammunition. The three had entered the territory of the Shahumyan Region of Karabakh, and as spies to collect information and carry out espionage.
On July 4, 2014, they had kidnapped and subsequently murdered a Karabakh citizen, 17-year-old Smbat Tsakanyan, whose body was found on July 15, 2014, and with gunshot wounds, in a forest at the Shahumyan Region.
