Preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated on violations of the norms of international humanitarian law provided by international treaties committed by Azerbaijan during armed conflicts is ongoing in General Military Investigative Department.
 

As we have already informed through the motion of International Committee of the Red Cross and personal representative of the acting Head of the OSCE on April 10 the bodies of 18 Armenian servicemen, perished during the aggression unleashed by the Azeri on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line from April 2 to April 5, 2016, were passed to the Armenian side. Through external inspection of the bodies numerous injuries, traces of torture and abuse were recorded by forensic experts.
 

Forensic examinations were commissioned by the investigative body to find the cause of death of each of the Armenian serviceman, nature and gravity of bodily injuries, their causal connection with death.
 

We inform that so far we have received the conclusions of forensic medical examinations commissioned against 7 servicemen which state the violations of the norms of international humanitarian law committed by the enemy.
 

Through the conclusion N 0411/20 it was stated that 30 year-old Armenian Major was beheaded alive; separation of the head from the 5th cervical vertebra level (decapitation) was committed with a sharp cutting item while Major was alive which caused his death. Major’s both wrists were also cut off while he was alive.  
 

On the base of the written permission of the investigator Major’s father, as well as forensic medical regional coordinator of International Committee of the Red Cross was also present at body autopsy.
 

According to the conclusions N 034/1 and N 02 beheading of two more Armenian servicemen was committed posthumously.
 

Thus, according to the conclusion N 034/1 the soldier’s death was caused by hemorrhagic, traumatic shock and cerebral hemorrhages caused by explosive-shrapnel, firearm injuries on different parts of the body. Separation of the head from the body was committed by cutting off the upper part of the neck with a cutting item after the victim’s death.
 

According to the conclusion N 02 68 year-old contractor’s death was caused by firearm injuries. Traumatic beheading from the lower third level of the neck (amputation) was committed with sharp cutting items of relatively large mass after the victim’s death.  
 

Cutting of 20 year-old junior sergeant’s left ear from the base and right ear partially was committed posthumously, both ears of Major, Senior Lieutenant and Lieutenant Colonel were also cut off posthumously.  
 

Additional information on conclusions of forensic medical examinations commissioned against other servicemen will be provided.