15:38, 6 November 2020

Convicted Guliev and Askerov removed from Karabakh conflict zone

Shakhbaz Guliev, an Azerbaijani citizen convicted in Nagorno-Karabakh. Photo by Alvard Grigoryan for the "Caucasian Knot"

The Azerbaijani citizens, Shakhbaz Guliev and Dilgam Askerov, convicted in Nagorno-Karabakh, have been transported from the prison in Shushi to Armenia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in 2014, a Nagorno-Karabakh court sentenced Guliev and Askerov to 22 years and life imprisonment, respectively, for killing a teenager, a theft, illegal border crossing, possession of weapons, espionage and the murder of an Armenian army officer. Azerbaijani political analysts doubted the chances of exchanging Guliev and Askerov within the framework of the exchange of prisoners of war, as Baku treats as unacceptable the Armenia's demand to involve Karabakh authorities in negotiations.

According to Kyurdoglu Askerov, Dilgam's son, Red Cross employees had last visited the prisoners in September, before the escalation of the Karabakh conflict.

Let us remind you that according to the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh the city of Shushi is shelled regularly. Thus, on November 5, authorities of the unrecognized republic reported on attacks from heavy artillery, and today – about new shelling and the death of three townspeople.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 6, 2020 at 11:20 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent