Human rights defenders about torture of persons involved in the "Terter case"

Baku/21.04.21/Turan: The Committee against Repression and Torture published the first part of the report: “The Tartar events of 2017: betrayal, or hiding the truth from the public. Realities and fictions”.

In May 2017, mass arrests were made in the n-section of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan in the Terter region. In a joint statement by the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Military Prosecutor's Office and the State Security Service, it was asserted that the spy network that worked for the intelligence agencies and special services of Armenia had been exposed.

Before the appearance of this statement, about a thousand soldiers were detained and interrogated.  Lawsuit were filed against 200 people. A certain number of cases were opened against civilians - residents of front-line points. At least 10 soldiers died from torture. Of these, five were posthumously rehabilitated. Currently, at least 25 people are in custody. They were sentenced from seven to 20 years in prison on charges of treason and other crimes.

In preparing the report, stakeholders were interviewed, parents and other members, those arrested and killed, and victims of torture at large. In addition, discussions were held with representatives of the prosecutor's office, court materials, indictments, expert opinions and other documents were studied.

On the night of April 1-2, 2016, the Armenian Armed Forces subjected the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling. The enemy attacks were repulsed by counterattacks. In the course of 4 days of fighting, 93 servicemen were killed. The losses were more than expected. In February 2017, local clashes took place, after which about 20 officers were removed from their posts. After that, mass arrests began.

Moreover, not only the military were detained in Terter, but also in other areas, as well as those who had already completed their service 7-10 years ago. At the same time, people were seized on the streets, houses and taken away in an unknown direction. Relatives were not provided with any information about them, and those who insisted were threatened.

The detainees were gathered in a former military headquarters building and tortured. At least 10 people died from torture, and they were buried without giving their bodies back to their families. A large number of police officers were involved in the funeral.   Later, 101 soldiers were recognized as victims, and 16 employees of the Ministry of Defense were arrested for torture.

Those responsible for the death of 10 military men and torture, nine of the accused were given only 3 years and 6 months in prison, six were given 6 years each, and one - 10 years in prison. At the same time, the commander of the unit, in the military unit, who was tortured and other responsible persons were not arrested and suspended from work. –06D-