Azerbaijani serviceman will serve sentence in Armenia if sentenced to imprisonment, says prime minister
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The case of the Azerbaijani serviceman remanded in custody in connection with the incident in Shaki must be heard within Armenia’s judicial system. If sentenced to imprisonment, he will serve his sentence in Armenia in accordance with Armenian law.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this during a question-and-answer session with the government in the National Assembly, responding to a question from Narek Karapetyan.
Karapetyan played an audio recording concerning the incident in Shaki and asked whether the Azerbaijani serviceman could subsequently be handed over to Azerbaijan.
Pashinyan said he had already addressed the issue during the same question-and-answer session, stressing the need for judicial procedures.
“The matter must be examined within the judicial system of the Republic of Armenia, and there must be a court ruling in accordance with the procedures established by Armenian law,” the prime minister said.
Karapetyan replied that he had repeated the question because he thought the possibility of extraditing the Azerbaijani serviceman might be under consideration.
In response, Pashinyan recalled that a criminal case had been opened and the Azerbaijani serviceman had been remanded in custody.
“Have you heard that a criminal case has been opened? Have you heard that remand in custody has been imposed as a preventive measure?” the prime minister asked.
He stressed that the case would be examined in accordance with the law and that the court’s future ruling could not be predetermined.
“If he is sentenced to imprisonment, he will serve his sentence in the Republic of Armenia in accordance with the procedures established by Armenian law,” Pashinyan said.
The prime minister also said a criminal case had been opened against the Azerbaijani serviceman in Azerbaijan for leaving his place of military service without permission.