Stepanakert considering exchange of Azeri diversionists for Ramil Safarov

Stepanakert considering exchange of Azeri diversionists for Ramil Safarov –

Arminfo – The Nagorny Karabakh authorities are ready to consider the exchange of one of the Azeri diversionists for Ramil Safarov, the murderer of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, Spokesperson of the NKR President David Babayan told ArmInfo.  “We can consider the suggestion to exchange one of the Azeri diversionists if we exchange him, for instance, with Ramil Safarov (Azeri officer who viciously axed sleeping Armenian office Gurgen Margaryan in Hungary in 2004 – editor’s note). However, we will not transfer the diversionist, as it would be a gross violation of all the democratic principles”

Earlier, James Warlick, the OSCE MG Co-Chair of U.S. told APA that extradition of the Azeri diversionists convicted in Nagorny Karabakh would be a kind step that would help reduce tensions and build confidence between the parties.  

To note, on 29 Dec 2014, the Court of Artsakh sentenced Dilham Askerov to life imprisonment and Shahbaz Guliyev to 22 years in jail.  The lawyers of the raiders say that Guliyev intends to appeal against the judgment in general and Askerov will appeal against the provisions under which he does not admit his guilt.  On 29 June 2014, Azeri raiders Shahbaz Jalal oghli Guliyev, Dilham Gardashkhan oghli Askerov and Hasan Hasanov illegally penetrated into the territory of NKR having with then arms and ammunition and attempted a sabotage attack. They were spying and even kidnapped minor Smbat Tsakanayn, a citizen of NKR on 4 July, who was later found with deadly wounds to the head.  Afterwards, on 11 July, on the Vardenis-Karvachar road, Hasanov murdered a resident of Yerevan Sargis Abrahamyan (born in 1971) and wounded Karine Davtyan, a resident of Dzoraghbyur village on the grounds of national hatred. He was killed showing armed resistance to the Armenian forces. The other two raiders were arrested.

 Shahbaz Guliyev, 46, and Dilham Askerov, 54, were charged under the NKR Criminal Code’s Article 316 (spying), Article 350 part 2 (violation of the NKR’s border by an organized group), Article 245 part 3 (illegal carrying of arms and ammunition), Article 129 part 3 point 1 (kidnapping, actions against a minor with the use of arms), Article 103 part 2 points 3,7,14 (murder combined with kidnapping by an organized group out of ethnic hatred) and Articles 33 and 103 part 1 point 14 (attempted murder of two or more people by an organized group out of ethnic hatred).