Turkish Embassy comments on visit of a group of Turkish citizens to occupied territories of Azerbaijan

Baku. 29 September. REPORT.AZ/ The Turkish Embassy in Baku has commented on illegal visit of a group of Turkish citizens to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenians.

Report informs citing the embassy, those who visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan are former oppositional Turkish lawmakers and opositional reporters.

"This group has made this trip on their own initiatives without informing Turkish official bodies. Our state strongly condemns this visit. The visit has nothing to do with Turkey's state policy and its official stand", diplomatic mission stated.

Notably, on September 28, Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Department for Grave Crimes Investigation has launched a criminal case under Article 318.2 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) of the Criminal Code after reasonable suspicion on Turkish citizens Ufuk Uras, Ali Bayramoğlu, Sait Çekinoğlu and Erol Katırçıoğlu in joint activity with persons in Armenian Republic and in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on September 22, deliberately passing internationally recognized state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan without consent and permission of relevant executive authority, beyond the state border checkpoints, namely through the territory of Armenian Republic to Khankendi and other residential settlements.

Ufuk Uras, Ali Bayramoğlu, Sait Çekinoğlu and Erol Katırçıoğlu declared wanted as accused persons by chosing preventive measure according to the mentioned article of the Criminal Code. The Turkish law enforcement agencies have been appealed to bring them to the justice.

At present, necessary investigative measures are underway on the criminal case.