An Armenian court today sentenced two Syrian mercenaries, captured by the Artsakh Defense Army during last year’s Karabakh war and charged with war crimes, to life imprisonment.

Yousouf Alaabet al-Haji, and Muhrab Mohammad Al Shkher were charged with attempting to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law during an armed conflict and perpetrating international terrorism.

It took the Syunik Provincial Court just one day to examine the evidence against the two and issue its verdict.

Mushegh Vardanyan, the defendant’s attorney, told Hetq that the two accept that they were hired as mercenaries but deny committing war crimes.

Vardanyan said that as a public defender he is obliged to file an appeal.

The case was sent to court on April 14.