News - Azerbaijan brings ‘charges’ against Karabakh ex-President Arayik Harutyunyan

The State Security Service of Azerbaijan has announced charges against Arayik Harutyunyan, the former president of Nagorno-Karabakh. According to Azerbaijani media, Harutyunyan, born in 1973, is accused of participating in an aggressive war on Azerbaijani territory, recruiting, training, and financing mercenaries, as well as engaging them in military conflicts and operations, creating armed organizations not provided for by Azerbaijani law, and organizing their activities, arming them with weapons, ammunition, explosives, military equipment, and army equipment, and smuggling these items into Azerbaijan. He is also accused of financing terrorism. Harutyunyan has been charged under various articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (100, 116, 117, 120, 214, 214-1, 214-3, 218, 279 etc.). He was arrested by Azerbaijani forces following the events of September 19-20, when Nagorno-Karabakh surrendered after the international community, including Armenia, failed to intervene effectively. The entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia within days, leaving behind their homes and possessions. Only a small number of Armenians remain in Nagorno-Karabakh, primarily those still searching for missing relatives.