Azerbaijan confirms arrest of former head of Karabakh separatists

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Azerbaijani authorities on Thursday said they arrested and charged Araik Harutyunyan, who headed separatists in the Karabakh region, for unleashing and waging an aggressive war, and terrorism.

"On Oct. 3 of this year, Araik Harutyunyan was detained in the city of Khankendi by employees of the State Security Service," said a joint statement by the Prosecutor General's Office and State Security Service (SGB).

The release provided an extensive list of charges brought against Harutyunyan, including "planning, preparation, unleashing or waging an aggressive war," "violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts," "inaction or giving criminal orders during an armed conflict," "premeditated murder," terrorism, financing of terrorism and "conducting exercises for the purpose of terrorism."

The former Karabakh leader is also accused of "organization of a criminal community," and "creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law."

"The investigation established reasonable suspicions of Araik Harutyunyan, a native of Khankendi (born in 1973), acting as the 'president' of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, participated in conducting an aggressive war on the territory of Azerbaijan, engaged in attracting, training and financing mercenaries, as well as organizing their use in military conflict and military operations, violated the norms of international humanitarian law, gave criminal orders," the statement said.

Harutyunyan is also accused of organizing the mining of Azerbaijani territories to conduct terrorist attacks, as well as organizing attacks on the city of Ganja and settlements of Barda district, which were shelled with rockets in October 2020, leading to civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.

An Azerbaijani court had ordered Harutyunyan's arrest on Oct. 28, 2020, and his name was put on the international wanted list, according to the press statement.