The results of the investigation conducted on military aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia by Azerbaijan on September 13-14, 2022 have been summed up in the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee.

Accordingly, during preliminary investigation of the proceeding initiated in the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee on the mentioned act of aggression according to the Point 2 of the Part 1 of the Article 140 and the Part 1 of the Article 149 of RA Criminal Code inspection of about 100 scenes have been conducted in the RA provinces of Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik. As a result, as well as through initial data obtained within the investigation conducted so far the damages caused to the communities have been found out; destroyed or spoilt municipality building, fire rescue squad building, a school, three guest-houses, a banquet hall, over 100 residential houses, cattle barns, a greenhouse, about a dozen of civilian vehicles, roads, large areas of burnt grassland and forest, an orchard and so on.

Besides, 6 military units, military facilities and equipment, among them two cars of medical service located in the mentioned provinces have been spoilt. Within the framework of the criminal proceeding over 70 forensic-explosive –technical, fire-technical, construction-technical, merchandising commission complex expertise, as well as botanical expertise was commissioned.

During preliminary investigation more than 600 people have been found the victim and questioned, more than 1000 witnesses have been questioned, forensic medical expertise of more than 224 bodies have been commissioned, as well as 98 forensic – genetic and more than 350 forensic expertises have been commissioned.

Pursuant to data obtained through investigation, as a result of the aggression carried out by Azerbaijan 224 people died on the Armenian side, among them 3 civilians, the location of 3 servicemen is unknown.

23 more criminal proceedings have been initiated in the subdivisions of the RA Investigative Committee on several crimes committed by the servicemen of the armed forces of Azerbaijan during the aggression carried out against the RA sovereign area which have been combined in one proceeding.

Particularly,

-       the cases of defaming the bodies of the Armenian servicemen (among them also  woman) killed in the battle field committed by the Azerbaijani servicemen,  

-       committing acts considered serious violations of norms of international humanitarian law against over 20 servicemen of the RA armed forces in the status of prisoners of war, benefiting from protection under international law - the case of humiliating their honor and dignity by making fun of them, using sexual slurs and other offensive expressions, torture and inhuman treatment,

-       the facts of using violence, torturing and killing the servicemen of the RA armed forces in captivity,

-       the fact of shooting and killing a group of captured Armenian servicemen during the military aggression committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces recorded by the disseminated video,

-       the video recording testifying to the use of violence against the wounded Armenian servicemen which, as it was found out through preliminary investigation, was committed on 13.09.2022 in the dugout of a military position under the protection of the RA unit N but occupied in the result of a military action. The bodies of 2 killed servicemen of the RA armed forces, who were still alive in the status of prisoner of war in the video, identified through preliminary investigation, have been later handed over to the Armenian side,

-       the cases of unlawful, arbitrary destruction and plunder of property in large amount – dwellings, animals and vehicles owned by a number of residents of Jermuk community of the RA Vayots dzor province, Gorhayk community of Syunik province and Gegharkunik province, the property in particularly large amount, in the balance sheet of a number of military units of the RA Ministry of Defense, committed by the servicemen of the armed forces of Azerbaijan, not conditioned by military necessity, have also become a subject of investigation,

-       the case of not permitting  4 Armenian members of the group, formed to bring the killed Armenian servicemen’s bodies out of the occupied military positions, to return on 15.09.2022  is also a subject of investigation (after negotiations they were returned to the Armenian side).

Within the framework of the unified criminal proceeding large-scale investigative, procedural actions, operative-intelligence measures are ongoing to identify the servicemen of the armed forces of Azerbaijan having committed the crime, to initiate a criminal prosecution against them, to complete the whole picture of war crimes committed.

Besides the above-mentioned, despite the strong resistance shown by the RA armed forces during the mentioned military aggression carried out against the RA territorial integrity, separate actions of some representatives of the RA armed forces have also become a subject of investigation in the General Military Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee – in connection with violation of the rules of military service, leaving a person, in a state of danger to life or health and deprived of the opportunity to take self-preservation measures, in a helpless state, not reporting to the place of duty on time in order to temporarily avoid military service, losing official military property, etc..

22 criminal proceedings have been initiated on similar cases within the framework of which charges have been pressed against 16 servicemen. Detention has been chosen as a pretrial measure against 6 of them, absence ban has been used against others. 6 of the mentioned criminal proceedings have been sent to court with the bill of indictment, preliminary investigation of others is ongoing.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.