Pashinyan Rejects Swapping Azerbaijani Soldier Accused of Shooting Armenian Mother for Armenian POWs
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has effectively ruled out exchanging an Azerbaijani serviceman detained after crossing into Armenia and shooting a woman for Armenians held in Azerbaijan, saying the two cases should be treated separately.
Speaking in an interview with Infocom, Pashinyan said Armenia and Azerbaijan have an understanding that soldiers who cross the border should be dealt with independently of other detainee cases.
“We have an understanding that cases involving soldiers crossing over and being returned will be treated separately from all other cases,” Pashinyan said.
He argued that tying such incidents to prisoner exchanges could create problems if an Armenian serviceman were to cross into Azerbaijan in the future.
“Suppose we say, ‘Give us some of the prisoners and we’ll give you this soldier.’ Then what happens if one of our soldiers crosses over? Who would we give them in return?” he said.
The comments come days after Azerbaijani serviceman Nasimi Musayev was detained in Shaki, a village in Armenia’s southern Syunik province, after crossing the border and entering a family’s home.
Azerbaijani authorities have said Musayev left his military unit in the Lachin area without authorization.
According to Armenian authorities, Musayev was armed when he entered the home. A 39-year-old woman was seriously wounded while trying to protect her two children during the encounter. She suffered a severe gunshot wound to her leg and lost fingers on one hand.
Musayev was detained Oct. 1 and remains in custody. He faces charges including illegally crossing the state border, weapons smuggling, causing serious bodily injury with a weapon, illegal firearms trafficking and violating the inviolability of a residence.
Pashinyan’s position appears to close off, at least for now, the possibility that Musayev could be used to secure the release of Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
There is, however, a recent precedent for Armenia and Azerbaijan returning prisoners and detained servicemen as part of a broader agreement.
In December 2023, Armenia returned two Azerbaijani servicemen, Huseyn Akhundov and Agshin Babirov, to Azerbaijan. Akhundov had been sentenced to life in prison for killing a security guard at the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, while Babirov was serving an 11-year sentence.
Azerbaijan released 32 Armenian prisoners the same day.
The arrangement was part of a wider confidence-building agreement between Yerevan and Baku. Armenia also agreed to support Azerbaijan’s bid to host the COP29 U.N. climate summit by withdrawing its own candidacy.
Azerbaijan currently holds 19 Armenians.
Pashinyan also rejected speculation that Musayev’s entry into Armenia was a planned Azerbaijani sabotage operation, describing the theory as “absurd” and a “legend.”
At the same time, he said investigators have not yet fully questioned Musayev because the serviceman was also injured and is receiving medical treatment.
Pashinyan said Musayev did not resist when Armenian law enforcement officers detained him and noted that he still had an assault rifle with a full magazine.
“He went into that house and slept there,” Pashinyan said. “Then the homeowners came, discovered him, and everything happened amid that surprise and confusion.”
The prime minister said Musayev would remain in Armenia “for at least some time” and would serve a sentence if convicted.
He also stopped short of saying the serviceman deliberately entered Armenian territory.
According to Pashinyan, preliminary information indicates there was heavy fog along the border when Musayev crossed.
“It is not a fact that the soldier intended to cross into Armenia,” Pashinyan said. “He may have become lost and crossed into Armenia.”
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