Armenia’s Ministry of Justice, responding to a Hetq inquiry, didn’t confirm whether it received any guarantees that two mercenaries Yerevan handed over to Syrian government authorities via Turkey earlier this month would continue to serve their life sentences in Syria.

The two mercenaries, Yousouf Alaabet al-Haji and Muhrab Mohammad Al Shkher, were apprehended by the Artsakh Defense Army during the 2020 Karabakh conflict.

An Armenian court, in 2021, sentenced the two to life imprisonment on war crimes charges.

The ministry says the two had petitioned that they be returned to Syria and serve their life sentences there. 

The ministry claims there were no circumstances, legal or otherwise, prohibiting the transfer of the two prisoners to Syria.

Photo (from left): Yousouf Alaabet al-Haji, Muhrab Mohammad Al Shkher