The verdict was handed down Saturday against two Armenian prisoners of war, servicemen Ishkhan Sargsyan and Vladimir Rafayelyan—and within the framework of a “criminal case” against them in the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

According to Azerbaijani media, Sargsyan and Rafayelyan were sentenced to 19 and 18 years in prison, respectively.

They will serve nine years in prison, whereas the rest of the term—in a strict-regimen corrective colony.

Along the lines of a fabricated criminal case, Baku accuses them of "illegally crossing the border of Azerbaijan, as well as placing landmines before the supply routes of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry units passing through the Kelbajar [(Karvachar)] region in May 2021."