TODAY.AZ / Politics

Foreign Ministry: Sterligov’s hiding proves criminal atmosphere in occupied territories

31 July 2015 [17:00] - TODAY.AZ

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

Russian businessman German Sterligov and his Armenian patron lawyers are legally illiterate, Azerbaijani foreign ministry’s official representative Hikmet Hajiyev said.

He made the remarks commenting on recent statements by Russian businessman regarding the fact that he has been put on the international wanted list by Azerbaijan.

A decision was made by the Nasimi District Court to arrest Sterligov being that there is sufficient evidence to charge him, according to the message from Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office released on July 28.

“German Sterligov and his Armenian patron lawyers have once again demonstrated their legal illiteracy. Given the elements of a crime in the actions committed by this person on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a criminal case was initiated under articles No 281.2 (public calls against the state) and 318.2 (illegally crossing state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, and Sterligov was put on the international wanted list with the election of a preventive measure in the form of arrest,” Hajiyev told Trend.

Sterligov and his family members illegally reside in Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia, putting him on Azerbaijan’s list of undesirable persons.

The Russian businessman held a press conference in July 13 in Shusha and posted information on his social media page to support the "independence" of the separatist regime, thereby calling for the violation of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territorial integrity as well as the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the occupied territories, money laundering etc.

He also highlighted the fact that there is an occupation regime on the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia.

“The occupation of these territories by Armenia is clearly reflected in the documents adopted by international organizations, in particular in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and decision of the European Court of Human Rights in ‘Chiragov and others v. Armenia,’” he said.

The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenia's withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.

Moreover, the ECHR reaffirmed Armenia’s responsibility in the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. The court ruled in favor of the applicants, recognizing Armenia’s continuing violations of their rights under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Hajiyev said Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that conditions for the cultivation, production, transit and trade of narcotic drugs, training of terrorists, arms smuggling, kidnapping and other crimes were committed on the occupied territories of the country.

“It is possible that a large consignment of heroin detained a few days ago in Romania, was brought to this country through the occupied territories and Armenia. At present, this issue is under investigation,” Hajiyev said.

Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly said Azerbaijan's occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region has turned into a regional center of drug production and trafficking.

“The fact that Sterligov, accused in the specific criminal offenses, is hiding, proves once again that there is a criminal atmosphere on these areas,” Hajiyev further added.

Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's "black list."

Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats against unauthorized visits to territories under Armenian occupation, stating that such visits violate international law.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by U.S., Russian, and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/142577.html

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