Azerbaijan is conducting an investigation based on the information provided by Rashid Beglaryan, one of the Khojaly genocide perpetrators, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan said in a statement on Monday, XQ reports.
Complex investigations of crimes against peace and humanity, as well as war crimes committed in the past by Armenian illegal armed formations in Azerbaijan's liberated territories, are underway.
Suspected of torturing Azerbaijani war prisoners and other persons protected by international humanitarian law previously held in the Children's Hospital No. 3 of Khankendi with restriction of freedom, committing other grave crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as participation in the activities of Armenian illegal armed formations, Rashid Beglaryan was arrested on charges under Articles 112, 113, 115.2, 279.1, and 318.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Security Service of Azerbaijan noted.
The persons subjected to the above-mentioned tortures were identified and recognized as victims in this criminal case.
During the interrogation, the accused, Rashid Beglaryan, reporting his involvement in the Khojaly tragedy of February 1992, stated that the Armenian Armed Forces and Armenian illegal armed formations acting under their command attacked Khojaly, mainly populated by civilians, from Khankendi on February 25, 1992. According to a pre-established plan, false promises were made to the surviving Azerbaijani civilians that they could safely pass through the Askeran district in the direction of the Aghdam district. The armed formations, of which Beglaryan was a member, ambushed and killed up to 200 civilians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, who were moving along the Gargarchay coast towards Aghdam district with the aim of massacring Azerbaijanis on February 26, 1992, using automatic weapons near Askeran fortress. After members of the criminal group looted the personal belongings of the dead, their bodies were buried around the Askeran fortress.
During the testimony on the spot, Rashid Beglaryan clearly indicated the places where he committed criminal acts against the civilian population, describing all the circumstances in detail.
At present, investigations into the aforementioned criminal acts are ongoing.
