19:20

The preliminary investigation into the criminal case against members of the Armenian armed groups who have committed acts of terrorism, sabotage and other criminal acts on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been completed

The members of the Armenian armed groups, who illegally crossed the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and took up positions in the forest area in the north-western part of Hadrut settlement, Khojavend district, and committed acts of terrorism, sabotage and other criminal acts against Azerbaijani civilians and servicemen following the declaration of a ceasefire with a trilateral statement signed between Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia on November 10, 2020, were disarmed as a result of the counter-terrorist operation carried out by the State Security Service on 13 December 2020. The preliminary investigation into the criminal proceeding against these members launched by the Main Investigation Department of the State Security Service has been completed.

The investigation revealed that a group of citizens of the Republic of Armenia illegally obtained firearms, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices, and created illegal armed formations. On November 26-27, 2020, members of these groups illegally crossed the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan in an organized form, took up combat positions in the forest area and other territories in the north-western part of Hadrut settlement, Khojavend district, and until December 13, 2020, carried out armed attacks on enterprises, offices, organizations, as well as on individuals across the country, and committed explosions, fires and other terrorist acts in order to disrupt public safety, create panic among the population, and influence the decision-making process of the state authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan and international organizations.

The investigation of the criminal case against members of the illegal armed group Avakyan Grach Arzumanovich, Serobyan Gegham Samvelovich and others, a total of 14 accused persons, charged under Articles 214.2.1, 214.2.3 (terrorism committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, an organized group or a criminal association (criminal organization) with the use of firearms and objects used as weapons), 228.3 (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation and carrying of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices by an organized group), 279.2 (armed attacks on enterprises, offices, organizations or individuals as part of armed formations or groups not provided by law) and 318.2 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan by a group of persons by prior conspiracy or an organized group) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has been completed and sent to court for consideration together with the indictment approved by the Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Preliminary investigation on the relevant criminal cases against other accused members of the above-mentioned armed group has been completed and at present, familiarization with the case materials is being carried out.