Report About Arayik Harutyunyan 

On October 5, the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Security Service reported that comprehensive measures are being taken for the investigation of crimes against peace and humanity, war, terrorism, and other crimes committed by illegal Armenian armed groups operating in the territory of Karabakh of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

"During the investigations, Harutyunyan Arayik, who was born in the city of Khankendi [Stepanakert in Armenian], Azerbaijan in 1973, participated in the aggressive war on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan under the so-called 'President of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh' and other names, as well as the recruitment, training and financing of mercenaries, as well as their participation in the military conflict and the organization of its use in military operations, the violation of international humanitarian law norms during armed conflict, and the issuing of criminal orders during armed conflict have been determined," the report added.

"As a result of the investigative and operational measures, also, in order to commit terrorist acts by Arayik Harutyunyan, the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan were continuously mined, ballistic and other types of missiles were fired targeting residential areas and civilian objects of the densely populated Ganja city and Barda region of the Republic of Azerbaijan located outside the front zone. Reasonable suspicions have been established of the organization of terrorist attacks resulting in the killing of numerous civilians and the infliction of various physical injuries on them, causing serious damage to civil and military infrastructure, and the commission of numerous other crimes," the information noted.

"On October 3 of this year, Arayik Harutyunyan was detained by the State Security Service in Khankendi and charged with articles 100, 116, 117, 120, 214, 214-1, 214-3, 218, 279 and other articles of the Criminal Code," it concluded.

Report About Former Karabakh Leaders 

The government bodies reported that a criminal case is being continued in the State Security Service regarding the terrorist acts committed by the illegal armed groups operating in the Karabakh region.

"During the investigations, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Davit Ishkhanyan formed and organized the activities of armed units not provided for by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan under the so-called 'presidents of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic' and 'temporary executor of the duties of the president', respectively, in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the provision of weapons, ammunition, explosives, military equipment, and military supplies to those illegal armed groups that carry out raids on offices, organizations and individuals that cause the death of people and other serious consequences; acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation and movement of parts of a set, ammunition, explosive devices, knowing that money and other property will be used in whole or in part, directly and indirectly by those illegal armed groups to commit terrorist acts and by providing, reasonable suspicions of terrorist financing have been established," the report added.

"As a result of the actions carried out by the State Security Service, Arkadi Ghukasyan, born in 1957 in the city of Khankendi, Bako Sahakyan, born in the same city in 1960, and Davit Ishkhanyan, born in 1958 in the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan, was arrested on October 3, 2023. 214.2.1, 214.2.2, 214.2.3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan (terrorism by using repeated firearms, explosives, and devices by an organized group), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 214-3.2 (with the purpose of terrorism) organizing trainings), 228.3 (repeated illegal acquisition, storage, transportation and movement of firearms, their complete parts, ammunition, explosives and devices by an organized group) and 279.3 (creating armed groups and groups not provided for by law and participation in their activities) and brought to criminal responsibility by being charged with the articles," the information emphasized.

Azerbaijan Allows Samvel Shahramanyan to Leave Region

On October 4, TASS, citing a source in the close circle of Nagorno-Karabakh, reported that Samvel Shahramanyan, the de-facto President of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh, is already on the territory of Armenia, and the Azerbaijani security forces did not detain him.