Occupation of the town of Khojaly caused AZN 140 mln or $170 mln damages to Azerbaijani state and citizens, Military Prosecutor of Azerbaijan, Lieutenant-General Khanlar Veliyev told Azerbaijan newspaper.
He said according to the international law, Khojaly tragedy is genocide and a crime against humanity. Comprehensive investigation was conducted on the cases of genocide, deportation, torture and other episodes and 239 persons were identified as guilty of crimes against humanity and peace. 116 persons are accused of massacres in Khojlay, Garadaghli, Baghanis-Ayrim, Meshali and Kergicahan towns of Azerbaijan, 35 persons are accused of tortures, 3 are accused of terrorism, 85 persons are accused of other crimes, including brigandage, murder, illegal arms storage. The court passed decision to bring generally 287 persons to justice. Those persons were declared wanted.
The investigators identified that on February 25, 1992, at about 22.00, Armenian armed forces, illegally crossing Azerbaijani borders, together with the Armenian illegal militants in Nagorno Karabakh and former USSR’s 366th regiment, attacked the town of Khojaly. Commander of 366th regiment Zarvigorov Yuriy Yuryevich and major Ohanyan Seyran Mushegovich, commander of 2nd batallion, Nabokykh Yevganiy Alexandrovich, commander of 3rd battalion, Chitchiyan Valeriy Isaakovich, chief of staff of 1st battalion, as well as more than 50 Armenian and other officers participated and at least 90 tanks, armored vehicles, cannon, D-30 howitzers and other technical means were used in the attack. At first, the town was attacked by artillery forces. Then tanks, PDM and armored vehicles entered the town. Peaceful residents, including women, children and old people were killed by cruel Armenian bandits, who fired on innocent people from machineguns, tanks, PDM and other weapons.
Azerbaijanis, who could break surroundings and escape, were killed by Armenian militants in Ketik forest, on road of Nakhchivanik, around Garagaya, near the village of Dehraz, on Asgaran highway and other areas. 18 people were captured and tortured by Armenians in Asgaran region’s police office. Armenians committed inadmissible cruelties, intolerable tortures against the peaceful people, scalping, cutting off of different limbs, gouging out eyes, ripping the women’s bellies, burying and burning people alive, insulting on bodies. Armenians ambushed and killed people in cold blood.
As a result of attack on Khojaly, 5 379 people were deported, 613 people, including 63 children and 106 women were killed, 8 family were completely annihilated, 487 people were injured and 1 275 were taken captive. Fate of 150 people among hostages, including 68 women and 28 children is still unknown.
Veliyev said that now 3000 people were questioned as witnesses and sufferers on the case of Khojaly genocide, 2000 people were recognized as injured, more than 800 different examinations were held. The financial damage of the state property and citizens’ private property as a result of Khojaly genocide was determined, the things were provided as proof and investigative actions were carried out. Consequently the participation of 39 people, including 18 servicemen of the 366th regiment, 8 employees of the Department of Internal Affairs of Khankendi and Asgaran and 5 other officials and 8 civilians in Khojaly genocide was proofed. The decision was made on bringing those people to justice under Azerbaijan Republic’s Criminal Code article 103 (genocide), as well as 107(deportation, crimes against peace and humanity), 113 (torture), 115.4 (violation of laws and habits of war), 116.0.17 (violation of the international law rights during armed conflict). Investigative actions are being continued to collect evidences and personal data about the people committing Khojaly genocide.
The comprehensive judicial constructional and technical and merchandizing examinations were held on the criminal case and it was revealed that more than AZN 140 mln and AZN 170 mln damage was caused to Azerbaijani state and citizens, state property and citizens’ private property were destroyed and robbed during the occupation of Khojaly town by illegal Armenian armed units. The investigative measures on the case are being continued.
Veliyev noted that all acts committed against Khojaly residents are directly assessed as genocide in accordance with all international normative acts and considered as a crime against humanity according to the international law principles.
The Military Prosecutor also responded the false claims of Armenians that photos of killed in Khojaly were the same with the photos of killed in Kosovo. He underlined that there are videotapes of civilians, who forcedly left Khojaly in order to save their lives and were persecuted and killed by Armenian gunmen between the road to Naxchivanik village of Asgaran region and Shelli village of Aghdam. The photos of bodies brought to Aghdam mosque were added to the materials of the criminal case.
More than 400 investigative actions were held for identification of bodies and they were recognized by their relatives and familiars, and corresponding surveys given to Khohaly region’s Executive Power confirmed that these persons were registered in Khojaly. The photos of many persons killed by Armenian militants were taken from their relatives and added to the materials of the criminal case. The comparison of materials and videos added to the investigative materials proves once again that the Azerbaijanis killed during Khojaly genocide and the persons killed in Kosovo by Serbs are different people. Besides, Khojaly genocide was committed in 1992 and the photos, videos shot at that time were repeatedly demonstrated. The Kosovo incidents occurred long after it and it shows the falsification of Armenian ideologists.
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