Russia does not give back to Azerbaijan the materials of the criminal case on January 20 tragedy

Russia does not give back to Azerbaijani General Prosecutor’s Office the materials of the criminal case launched January 20 tragedy, spokesman for General Prosecutor’s Office Eldar Sultanov told APA.

He said the USSR General Prosecutor’s Office had carried out preliminary investigation concerning the January 20 tragedy, it was concluded that the actions of the servicemen were not crime, the consideration of the criminal case was stopped under the decision passed on December, 1990.

Azerbaijani General Prosecutor’s Office cancelled this decision on February 14, 1992, and launched criminal case on paragraphs 4 and 6 of article 94 (premeditated murder in aggravating circumstances), 149 (deliberately destroying or damaging the property), 168 (abuse of power) and 225 (abuse of authority) of the Criminal Code that was effective at that time. The investigation still continues.

The investigation found out that 132 people were killed, 612 wounded, 841 were illegally arrested, hundreds of buildings were destroyed as a result of the crime.

Decisions were made in 1994 to hold accountable first secretary of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan SSR Communist Party Abdurrahman Vazirov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Ayaz Mutallibov and others. As they fled, decision was passed on their arrest and search was declared.

Since chairperson of the Supreme Soviet at that time Elmira Gafarova and second secretary of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan SSR Communist Party Viktor Polyanichko died, the criminal case about them was dropped.

As the criminal was launched by the USSR General Prosecutor’s Office, the materials of the 68-volume criminal case were taken to Moscow. The questionnaires for returning these materials to Azerbaijani General Prosecutor’s Office, necessary documents for detaining the defendants were presented to the Russian law-enforcement bodies. But these questionnaires have not been answered yet.

APA