No:287/20, Joint statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan

On 27 September 27 2020, the Armed Forces of Armenia, in gross violation of the ceasefire regime, launched another aggression against Azerbaijan shelling the positions of the Republic of Azerbaijan along the line of contact from large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery.

On September 27-29, as part of the ongoing military aggression of Armenia, along with the Terter, Aghdam and Jabrayil regions of Azerbaijan, the Goranboy, Naftalan and Dashkesan regions were subjected to artillery fire by the Armed Forces of Armenia.

Armenia, in violation of the norms and principles of international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, deliberately shelled the civilian population and infrastructure of Azerbaijan, and thus committed various crimes against the civilian population.

As of September 29, 2020, 10 Azerbaijani civilians were killed, including two schoolchildren aged 13 and 14 respectively. 30 civilians were injured.

On 27 September 2020, circa 6 p.m., an artillery shell fired by the armed forces of Armenia, hit the courtyard of a private residential house in the village of Gashalty-Garagoyunlu, Naftalan district, that belonged to a resident of the village Mr. Elbrus Isa oglu Gurbanov. As a result of the shell explosion, those present in the house – Mr. Gurbanov and 4 members of his family – were killed. The regional prosecutor’s office has initiated a criminal case under Articles 120.2.1 (premeditated murder by a criminal organization), 120.2.4 (murder by a group of persons, previously committed by a group of persons with hooligan intentions, with particular cruelty), 120.2.7 (premeditated murder of two or more persons), 120.2.12 (premeditated murder with intent to national, racial, religious hatred or enmity), 100.2 (conduct aggressive war) and other relevant articles of the Criminal Code.

As a result of intensive fire from large-caliber weapons, artillery and mortars by the armed forces of Armenia along the line of contact from the occupied territories of Aghdam region, a shell hit the Evoglu village of Aghdam district on September 28, 2020 circa 7 a.m. Mr. Joshgun Anver oglu Pashayev, born in 1979, was badly injured and died later at the hospital.

On September 28, 2020, circa 11 a.m., Mr. Mehman Sovet oglu Aliyev, born in 1975, died from shell shrapnel near the administrative building of the District Court on Heydar Aliyev Avenue in Tartar. The driver of the ambulance Mr. Ganbar Asgar oglu Asadov, born in 1968, and police officer Mr. Fakhraddin Farman oglu Huseynov, born in 1994, and another resident of Tartar city Mr. Tural Firdovsi oglu Ibrahimov, born in 1991, were injured.

Circa 7 p.m., as a result of an artillery shell explosion in the yard of a multi-level apartment building built for the disabled and IDPs located in Shikharkh settlement of Tartar region, the residents of Tartar region Mr. Khalig Asif oglu Abbasov, born in 1981 and his brother Mr. Elshan Asif oglu Abbasov, born in 1987, as well as Mr. Sabit Usub oglu Asadov, born in 1981, were killed. Mr. Seymur Fuzuli oglu Mammadov, born in 1984, and Mr. Faig Malik oglu Mahmudov, born in 1989, were hospitalized with various injuries.

On 28 September 2020, circa 6:40 p.m., the armed forces of Armenia shelled the "Shamlig" area near the village of Jojuq Marjanli with large-caliber artillery. Village resident Mr. Hilal Murad oglu Hazila, born in 2000, was injured.

In all incidents, the regional prosecutor’s offices in charge launched official criminal investigations in accordance with the Criminal Code articles.

The prosecutor's office personnel are taking all necessary investigative measures in combat conditions, including the appointment of relevant experts to determine the severity of human injuries and damage to civil infrastructure.

Five criminal cases were sent to the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office to continue the investigation.

We strongly condemn these war crimes, for which Armenia bears the responsibility, and demand to put an end to attempts to target civilians and intimidate the peaceful population.

We call on the international community to strongly condemn the new aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, shelling the Azerbaijani civilians and infrastructure, and to ensure that Armenia complies with its obligations under international law, as well as international humanitarian law.