Trial of 13 more Armenian POWs opens in Baku court

A court of aggravated crimes in Baku began the trial on fabricated criminal cases of another 13 prisoners of war from Shirak Province. They have been charged with terrorism, sabotage and other crimes. According to local media, the session is chaired by Judge Eldar Ismayilov. The personal data of the Armenian prisoners of war are being verified.

The 13 Armenian prisoners of war are Haykaz Hovhannisyan, Varazdat Manukyan, Davit Stepanyan, Leon Tosunyan, Artur Baghdasaryan, Serob Avagyan, Varazdat Harutyunyan, Zhora Manukyan, Hrayr Herabyan, Narek Gasparyan, Grigor Kyureghyan, Ashot Gevorgyan, Martin Aghramanyan.

Two other groups of prisoners of war from Shirak were tried on June 16 (14 POWs) and on June 21 (13 POWs).

Sixty-two Armenian servicemen were taken captive in the villages of Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd in December, after the end of the war. The Azerbaijani authorities have filed criminal cases against them, calling them saboteurs and refusing to return them. Nine Shirak residents have already returned․ On January 28, five prisoners from Shirak returned to Armenia, on February 8, five others, three of whom were from Gyumri. Another group of three prisoners of war returned to Armenia on May 4․ One of them was from Shirak Province. On June 12, Azerbaijan returned 15 prisoners of war to Armenia, among whom there were no Shirak residents.