Yuri Kramar exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
On July 23 the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Court handed down an espionage sentence – two defendants, a soldier of the so-called Defense Forces of the NKAR, Rafael Avagyab, and a student, David Barsegyan, were sentenced to imprisonment for 11 and 10 years. It was made in the context of a rather mocking statement by judge Anatoly Tadevosyan, that the court had considered many extenuations - that they are young, have health problems, have never been sentenced before and have positive characteristics. “Humanism” from the occupational authorities.
However, there is a certain indulgence for the convicts. Article 310 of the current Criminal Code of Nagorno-Karabakh requires 15 years behind bars for “treason against the State in the form of espionage.” At the same time, it is fair to ask – how can anybody cheat on an unrecognized state?
Even if we pretend that notions of “law” and “statehood” operate there in reality, it should be noted that “the espionage case” doesn’t match them or common sense. What is the crime of the two convicted young Karabakh people from the court’s point of view? A year ago a Samvel Azatyan addressed them on the Internet, saying that he lived in Turkey and asking them to give him some information, promising to pay for it. The guys received $1 thousand, after which the watchful Armenia special services arrested them.
What was the secret data given to Turkey? The information concerned accidents in armed units, the quality of the healthcare service and food for soldiers. This is thought to be “a military secret” in Karabakh. It seems they are so enthusiastic about fighting for “freedom and democracy” that haven’t noticed that they actually live under the conditions of 1937. At that period anything could be considered espionage – a small conversation with a foreigner in the street could lead to a sentence, according to the Article 57 on various “public enemies.”
It should be noted that the identity of Samvel Azatyan hasn’t been discovered, i.e. the statement that “foreign special services” are hidden under name of “a Turkish Armenian” is as debatable as confessions forced by the NKVD on cooperation with “the Ceylonese intelligence service” so that the police could fulfil the plan on arresting “public enemies.” However, absence of normal evidence didn’t prevent the court of the unrecognized state from sentencing the guys to awful terms.
At the same time, the story is not extraordinary. There is a statement that “The nation which suppresses other nations cannot be free.” The current “statehood” of Karabakh was founded on aggression against Azerbaijan, deportation of its citizens, genocide in Khodzhaly, occupation of the Lachin region, and so on. Why should we be surprised that a court of “independent” Karabakh makes decisions not according to the law, but to the game rules of a group which breaks international and internal law?
