A former Nagorno-Karabakh official, detained on espionage charges following his move to Armenia months after the region’s surrender, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. 

On Friday evening, the prosecutor's office commented on the court’s decision to Armenpress, and said the office was planning to appeal it and instead seek life imprisonment.

According to the charges, Sargis Galstyan was contacted by the intelligence services of a foreign country, [Azerbaijan] in November 2020 and agreed to conduct espionage for them. 

Until 2023, Galstyan allegedly gathered and transferred information about the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including popular sentiments, the respective stances of the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, and the possible military support of Armenia during the September 2023 events.

Galstyan, who previously held several official positions in Nagorno-Karabakh, was also appointed deputy head of the presidential staff by the region’s last president Samvel Shahramanyan in September 2023. He was arrested whilst moving from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia in April.

[Read more: Former Nagorno-Karabakh official detained in Syunik for espionage] 

Tatul Hakobyan, a journalist from Armenia, reported that Galstyan also worked for the region’s National Security Service — and had enjoyed good relations with former presidents Bako Sahakyan and Shahramanyan.

Following the exodus of most of the Armenian population from the region, Galstyan and his wife Margarita Shahnazaryan were among the handful of Armenians who stayed in the region. 

According to the charges, Galstyan's decision to stay was influenced by a job offer he received from an employee of a foreign intelligence service. 

In June, Galstyan’s lawyer Alexander Kochubaev told RFE/RL that Galstyan  refuted the charges. Kochubaev also said that Galstyan’s confession, which he later reportedly retracted, was given ‘under pressure’.