State Security Service of Azerbaijan charges resident of Karabakh with participation in Khojaly genocide

Baku/20.11.23/Turan: On November 20, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan announced the indictment of Karabakh resident Rashid Beglaryan for complicity in the mass killings of residents of the city of Khojaly in February 1992.

Recall that Beglaryan was detained by Azerbaijani border guards at the Lachin checkpoint in early August 2023 and charged with attempting to illegally cross the border. According to the Armenian side, Beglaryan ended up there being drunk and got lost.

It was reported that Beglaryan, who is 61 years old, lived in the village of Khndristan in the Askeran region. From there he went to the village of Kichik Galadyasi (Hin Shen), and then towards the village of Zabukh and was detained there.

During the interrogations, Beglaryan reported his participation in war crimes committed in the past by illegal Armenian armed formations in the early 90s, partiularly, in the torture of Azerbaijani prisoners held in the children's hospital No. 3 in the city of Khankendi, as well as in other serious crimes. He is charged under Articles 112, 113, 115.2, 279.1 and 318.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijanis who were captured and tortured have been identified and recognized as victims in this criminal case.

Rashid Beglaryan reported on the military operation on February 25, 1992, when Armenian formations massacred the civilian population of Khojaly. In particular, he pointed out the places of their mass execution and burial near the Askeran region center.

Investigations into these facts are ongoing, the State Security Service said in a statement.

It ought to be noted that this is the second resident of Karabakh accused of complicity in the Khojaly tragedy. Prior to that, similar charges were brought against 67-year-old Madat Babayan.-0-