A criminal case has been launched against Russian millionaire German Sterligov for his visit to Nagorno Karabakh, said a joint statement from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and Prosecutor General’s Office on July 22, Azeri media report.

German Sterligov is accused of making “public anti-state calls” and “illegally crossing the Azerbaijani border.”

Baku also blames the Russian businessman for supporting the independence of Nagorno Karabakh through his posts on social network VKontakte. “He was engaged in illegal business activities and involved his family members,” the statement said.