Over 550 people have been recognized as victims within the scope of the criminal case in relation to the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan on 2 April.

In an interview with NEWS.am, Prosecutor of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Karen Gabrielyan stated that, in accordance with the application submitted by the NKR Defense Army, on 4 April, criminal cases were instigated and later combined into one proceeding.

The criminal cases have been instigated under several Articles of the Criminal Code of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, including aggressive war, violation of methods of leading military operations during conflicts and armed clashes, breach of international treaties, violation of international norms of humanitarian law, murder of civilians and elimination of property that is not connected to the need to lead military operations.

“An investigative group has been created, forensic expert examinations have been designated to determine the causes and nature of the deaths and the degree of physical injuries. Expert examinations have also been designated to determine the amount of material damage. The victims are being interrogated. Investigation into the criminal case continues,” Karen Gabrielyan stated.

The Police of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is leading an investigation.

The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement signed by the Ministers of Defense of the NKR, Azerbaijan and Armenia on 12 May 1994, on the night of 1 April 2016, carried out aggressive actions against the NKR and violated the territorial integrity of Nagorno-Karabakh with the help of land forces, air forces, missiles and military equipment.

At the same time, during the war, the land forces of Azerbaijan, with the purpose of being at an advantage in terms of military, crudely violating the norms of international humanitarian law, applying methods prohibited for waging a war, targeted peaceful settlements and civilians, schools, buildings, roads, other infrastructures and civilians, which caused the deaths of several people under the protection of international law, including children, and caused the elimination of a large number of immovable properties.

The Karabakh party also has facts showing that the bodies of Armenian servicemen were mocked and tortured.

Let us mention that the Azerbaijani party continues to regularly violate the ceasefire agreement, including by bombarding settlements of the NKR.