YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan says the exchange of two Azerbaijani saboteurs jailed in Artsakh with captive Armenian civilians and servicemen held in Azerbaijan isn’t lawful.

“Perhaps it could be possible but this step isn’t lawful because these were terrorists from Azerbaijan who have killed children whereas the people who appeared in the adversary’s territory from our side simply got lost. There is also another circumstance – it should be clarified whether or not the Azerbaijani side agrees or wants to return all in exchange of these two,” Hovhannisyan said when asked whether or not there is a chance for such an exchange.

Two armed Azerbaijani nationals – Dilham Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev – illegally crossed into Artsakh in 2014 to carry out espionage. They killed a minor and were captured and sentenced to a life sentence and 22 years in prison respectively.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan