Organization of a “fashion show” in the Azerbaijani city of Shusha occupied by Armenia, by a spouse of Russian entrepreneur German Sterligov is another step, which serves to incite hatred on ethnic and religious grounds, the head of the press service of the Azerbaijani foreign ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend Aug.31.

In accordance with the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, a criminal case was earlier initiated against Sterligov and a preventive measure in the form of arrest was chosen.

Hajiyev went on to add that if someone tries to encourage the regime established by Armenia on the occupied Azerbaijani territories by such provocative steps, it is a wrong move. Despite the fact that religion should be out of politics, Armenia and the criminal regime created by it on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, as well as Sterligov and his family, which are a tool in their hands, continue to politicize religion and advocate extremist statements full of religiously motivated hatred, he said.

Alyona Sterligova, the wife of Russian entrepreneur German Sterligov, organized a “fashion show” in Shusha, the Armenian media reported earlier.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.