Official Stepanakert thinks extradition of Dilham Askerov may not be debated

 Official Stepanakert thinks that extradition of Dilham Askerov, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment, may not be debated, David Babayan, Spokesman for Artsakh Republic President, has told RFE/RL Armenian Service (Radio Azatutyun) when commenting on the latest statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.   

To recall, a week ago a journalist asked Russian FM Sergey Lavrov about the fate of Dilham Askerov and wondered why Russia is doing nothing to release Askerov, who is a citizen of Russia. Lavrov replied that Askerov was arrested by the Armenian side, therefore, this issue will be discussed with the Armenian side.   

According to Nagorno-Karabakh's Police, on 29 June 2014, Shahbaz Jalal oghli Guliyev, Dilham Gardashkhan oghli Askerov and Hasan Hasanov illegally penetrated into the territory of NKR having with then arms and ammunition and attempted a sabotage attack. They were spying and even kidnapped minor Smbat Tsakanayn, a citizen of NKR on 4 July, who was later found with deadly wounds to the head.  Afterwards, on 11 July, on the Vardenis-Karvachar road, Hasanov murdered a resident of Yerevan Sargis Abrahamyan (born in 1971) and wounded Karine Davtyan, a resident of Dzoraghbyur village on the grounds of national hatred. He was killed showing armed resistance to the Armenian forces. The other two raiders were arrested.  Shahbaz Guliyev, 46, and Dilham Askerov, 54, were charged under the NKR Criminal Code's Article 316 (spying), Article 350 part 2 (violation of the NKR's border by an organized group), Article 245 part 3 (illegal carrying of arms and ammunition), Article 129 part 3 point 1 (kidnapping, actions against a minor with the use of arms), Article 103 part 2 points 3,7,14 (murder combined with kidnapping by an organized group out of ethnic hatred) and Articles 33 and 103 part 1 point 14 (attempted murder of two or more people by an organized group out of ethnic hatred).