July 3, 2023
By ZAINAB ABDULAHI
BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 3 – The trial of Armenian saboteurs who violated the state border of Azerbaijan kicks off today. A preparatory hearing will be held in the Sumgait Court on Grave Crimes under the chairmanship of Judge Fahmin Gumbatov.
The preliminary investigation found that Armenian citizens Arut Khovakimyan and Karen Gazaryan, who were servicemen, illegally crossed the protected state border of Azerbaijan on May 26, 2023. They intended to commit a terrorist attack on the territory of Azerbaijan and used force with firearms against servicemen of the Zangilan border detachment of the State Border Service. These actions occurred at approximately 19:00 (GMT+4).
According to a report by En.trend.az, there are solid suspicions that Khovakimyan and Gazaryan were carrying firearms and ammunition with them. They also opened fire on military personnel of a military unit in the village of Razdara in the Zangilan district. During the arrest of the Armenian sabotage group members, one AKM brand firearm and a clip with 105.45 mm caliber cartridges were seized from Arut Khovakimyan.
Arut Khovakimyan and Karen Gazaryan have been charged under several articles of the Criminal Code, including smuggling of firearms and ammunition by a group of persons by prior agreement, terrorism committed by a group of persons using firearms, illegal acquisition, carrying, and possession of firearms by a group of persons in collusion, incitement of ethnic hatred and enmity with the use of violence, and illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan by a group of persons by prior conspiracy or an organized group.
The criminal case was sent to the Court on Grave Crimes for consideration on June 21.
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