Joint Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s Office
Unofficial translation
The investigation department on grave crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office has opened a criminal case against Slovakian national František Mikloško under the Criminal Code’s articles 281.2 (public appeals by a group of persons to infringement of territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan) and 318.2 (trespassing of state frontier of the Republic of Azerbaijan by a group of persons acting together illegally) for organizing visits of foreign citizens to these territories on preliminary arrangement with a group of persons in order to achieve international recognition of the illegal regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia and to propagate it, as well as because there are adequate grounds for suspicions of him committing provocative acts aimed at casting doubt on Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
It became clear that František Mikloško has made several visits to territories of Azerbaijan under Armenian occupation without an official permission from relevant state authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, attended the illegal elections as an “observer” held there and committed acts to flare up ethnic and religious discord. During a press conference held in Yerevan with the intention of propagation of the illegal regime on an international scale, this person has made explicit statements directed towards the breach of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity by saying “the illegal parliamentary elections are specific referendum on independence”. He also made statements regarding illegal regime such as “[the illegal regime] must be recognized as an independent state”, “for us, it is an independent state”.
As there are sufficient grounds for accusation, with the verdict issued by Nasimi district court, he was sentenced to be wanted for pre-trial detention under articles #281.2 and 318.2 of the Criminal Code.
The Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of Interior and the National Bureau of Interpol were charged with the execution of search verdict for the essential search operation measures to detain and bring the accused František Mikloško to the investigation.
The Slovak Republic was informed about the accused person through diplomatic channels in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The investigation is underway on the case.