Azernews.Az

Today, a court session will be held to address the crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, and other illegal acts committed by the Armenian state and its armed forces, including the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" and its illegal armed formations created by Armenia in Azerbaijan's occupied territories. These crimes include waging aggressive war, genocide, forced displacement, persecution, torture, military plundering, and other illegal acts against Azerbaijan and its people.

According to Azernews, the preparatory session of the court, presided over by Judge Zeynal Agayev of the Baku Military Court, will continue at the Baku Court Complex. The preparatory session began on January 17. The defendants have been provided with translators in the Armenian language and defense lawyers.

The state prosecution is represented by six prosecutors, while Rufat Mammadov, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers' Office, participates as the victim on behalf of the Azerbaijani state. There are over 531,000 victims and their representatives involved in the criminal case.

The 15 individuals accused of these crimes, including Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Gukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimir Pashayan, face charges under various articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. These charges include planning, preparing, launching, and waging aggressive war, attacking persons or organizations using international protection, genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, slavery, forced deportation, persecution, enforced disappearance, unlawful deprivation of liberty, mercenarism, violations of the laws and customs of war, violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflict, military plundering, intentional homicide, illegal entrepreneurship, terrorism, financing terrorism, creating a criminal organization, illegal acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition, acts threatening aviation security, assassination attempts on public officials, forcible seizure of power, and creating illegal armed formations and groups.

Additionally, the preparatory session of the trial for Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian national charged with crimes such as torture, mercenarism, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, and financing terrorism, will continue on January 27. Vardanyan has been provided with his chosen defense lawyer and a translator in the Russian language.

During the preliminary investigation, R. Vardanyan was given sufficient time to familiarize himself with the materials of the criminal case in the language he understands and prepare his defense. The court, taking into account the defendant's request, granted an additional 10 days for him to review the case materials.

Ruben Vardanyan is accused under various articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, including planning and waging aggressive war, forced deportation, persecution, unlawful deprivation of liberty, torture, mercenarism, violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflict, terrorism, financing terrorism, creating a criminal organization, illegal acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition, acts threatening aviation security, forcible seizure of power, creating illegal armed formations, and illegally crossing the state border of Azerbaijan.