Sargis Galstyan has been sentenced to 18 years in prison
Stepanakert resident Sargis Galstyan has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for espionage in favor of Azerbaijan. Between 2018 and 2023, he held various positions in Artsakh. Being informed about the military situation in Artsakh and the socio-psychological state of the population, he reportedly established contact in November 2020 with an unidentified agent of a foreign intelligence service. Operating under the codename “Sarkhan,” which translates from Azerbaijani as “Lord of the Mountain,” he received assignments to carry out espionage activities.
Subsequently, through messaging and calls via “WhatsApp” and other mobile applications, he provided the foreign operative with various information from details about the sentiments of Artsakh’s population and government to specifics on military-related topics.
In September 2023, after the Armenian population left Artsakh, Sargis Galstyan remained in Stepanakert with his wife and continued his criminal activities.
In the spring, after relocating from Artsakh to Armenia, Galstyan was immediately arrested. Although he initially confessed to spying for Azerbaijan, he later retracted his statement and denied the charges.