"Nezavisimaja Gazeta", Saturday, May 28, 1994, p. 3

"Justice" heading

by Liana Minasian

Yuri Belichenko, the military pilot, who was sentences to death four days ago by the military tribunal of Nagorno Karabakh Republic by articles for "deliberate murder in aggravating circumstances" and for "bringing financial damage of extremely great amount" (213 million roubles in prices of August 1992). He took part in bombardment of villages of Mardakert region by Azerbaijanian Air Forces, that entailed victims and great devastations. Belichenko, who is formally considered a citizen of Ukraine, where he was drafted to former Soviet Army, served in Azerbaijan. After disintegration of USSR and withdrawal of Russian troops from Azerbaijan, he continued to serve in Azerbaijan. His aircraft was hit after military mission, and, according to investigation, the pilot confessed that he was recruited for 10,000 dollars per month plus bonus for successful bombardments.

Besides, in the similar situation has found himself another, but Russian, mercenary pilot, Chistiakov, but the trial on his case in Stepanakert is on yet, and the sentence is not passed. Belichenko, however, has a possibility to appeal to the presidium of Supreme Council of Nagorno Karabakh Republic for a pardon, but, according to information of military prosecutor's service, such appeal was not submitted.

According to some information, Ukrainian authorities have not shown an interest in fate of Belichenko in spite of his formal Ukrainian citizenship; motivation was, that his action was a consequence of his personal choice, so, he is responsible for that. As a mercenary, the pilot can not be recognized as a prisoner of war, so, laws on their defence can not be enlarged upon him.

Nevertheless, wife of Belicheko, who lives with their children in Krasnodar land, has submitted telegrams to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to authorities of Karabakh with an appeal to influence on fate of her husband. The formal precedent for such an interference may be a case of six Russian mercenaries, who were sentenced to death in Baku for participation in battles by the side of Karabakh Armenians. They were transferred to Russian authorities that time as an exchange with several Azerbaijanian prisoners of war, who were imprisoned in Karabakh. Unofficial consulting, that was already carried out by Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, deal with a possibility to carry out an exchange of Belichenko and five Armenians, who also were sentenced to death. Those Armenians are accused of murder of Azerbaijanian journalist Salatyn Askerova (there were seven accused before, but two of them died in the prison, and fate of other five is unknown). As to the pilot Chistiakov, it's quite possible, that, after pass

ing the sentence, he will be transferred to Russia and will serve the sentence in Russia.

Meanwhile, Radical party decided to use a case of Belichenko in its action for abolition of death penalty and for foundation of permanent international tribunal on war crimes. Members of the party, who placed a picket yesterday at the Armenian embassy in Moscow, consider, that crimes like Belichenko is accused of must be transferred to international tribunal with sovranational authorities, stating, that the question is not a humane, but a political problem." Having declared their opinion to the ambassador of Armenia Mr Mamikonian, who stated, that "the context destroys the idea: the regret for the sentence of a man, whose action entailed death of civilians, was expressed without any attempt to understand other similar cases from the other side," participants of the action have expressed their readiness to place a picket at the Azerbaijanian embassy.