Three Armenian football players were detained at the Lachin border checkpoint in Azerbaijan on August 28. The players, Alen Sargsyan, Vahe Hovsepyan, and Levon Grigoryan, were accused of insulting the Azerbaijani flag, Turanews.kz reports.
The players were arrested on the basis of a criminal case that was initiated by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan. The case was filed under Article 283.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, which prohibits actions that insult the state flag.
The players were detained after they were found to have posted a video on YouTube in which they were seen walking on the Azerbaijani flag. The video was widely shared on social media, and it sparked outrage in Azerbaijan.
The players were taken into custody and questioned by the police. They admitted to posting the video and said that they were sorry for their actions. They also said that they would not do it again.
The General Prosecutor’s Office decided to drop the criminal charges against the players, but they were still charged with an administrative offense under Article 388-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Azerbaijan. This article prohibits the posting of information on the internet that is prohibited for dissemination.
The players were sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention. They will also be expelled from Azerbaijan after they serve their sentence.
The case has drawn attention to the sensitivity of the issue of flag-burning in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani flag is a symbol of national pride, and any act of disrespect towards it is considered to be a serious offense.
The authorities in Azerbaijan have taken a tough stance on flag-burning in recent years. In 2018, a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for burning the Azerbaijani flag.
