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Court hearings on the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Lyova Mnatsakanyan and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression, was continued on April 7.

The hearings held at the Baku Military Court were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter into the language of their choice, as well as defense attorneys.

Present at the review hearings were the accused and their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors in charge of public prosecution.

During the hearings, the accused David Babayan was questioned by prosecutors in charge of public prosecution.

Answering questions from the Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments, Tugay Rahimli, the accused confirmed that he had held various “senior positions” in the so-called republic established in the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan once occupied by Armenia, including the position of “advisor to the president” and “minister of foreign affairs.”

David Babayan stated that while he was serving as “minister of foreign affairs” of the self-styled republic established in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan once occupied by Armenia, he had traveled abroad as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia.

Noting that he had traveled abroad with an Armenian passport, he said, “Certain individuals (meaning “officials” of the self-proclaimed regime – ed.) also had diplomatic passports. Just like our simple “passports,” our “diplomatic passports” were also Armenian.”

According to him, information about those trips was communicated to the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition, David Babayan answered questions about whether the so-called republic had “representatives” abroad, saying, “We had ‘representatives’ in countries with a large Armenian community.”

In response to questions from the Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, Vusal Aliyev, David Babayan acknowledged that he was opposed to the integration of Armenian residents who had settled in Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories that were once occupied by Armenia into Azerbaijan. He said that “integration was impossible.”

Then, the Head of the Department for Public Prosecution of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Nasir Bayramov, recalled one of David Babayan’s interviews with the media. In the interview, the accused stated that he was opposed to the integration of Armenian residents living in the occupied territories into Azerbaijan at the time, adding that it was impossible for the Azerbaijanis and Armenians to live together. In response to questions from the prosecutor defending the public prosecution regarding the views expressed in the interview, David Babayan said that he did not see any prospects for a coexistence between the Azerbaijanis and Armenians and that such integration was impossible. He stated that other accused persons, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Ruben Vardanyan, as well as other “officials” of the so-called republic, were also opposed to the integration.

“No ‘official’ was in favor of such integration,” he emphasized.

In response to questions about his relationship with Ruben Vardanyan, David Babayan noted that he had known the latter since 2007-2008, that the two had established business relations at a later period, and that Ruben Vardanyan had been one of the important figures of the Armenian diaspora.

The accused stated that the websites of the so-called “entities” in the self-styled republic in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan were registered with the “.am” domain of the Republic of Armenia.

He said that Armenian residents living in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan were engaged in maintaining the security of those websites, i.e. they had the right to interfere with the websites belonging to the Republic of Armenia.

After that, David Babayan answered questions from the defense and lawyers of the victims.

Public prosecutor Tarana Mammadova then asked questions of the accused Madat Babayan. In response to questions, he stated that he had served in Aghdara in the 1990s and had been stationed a checkpoint there. He said, “The leader of our group was Tarmazen Henrik. We obeyed him.”

He also said that he had a weapon on him when he was detained by Azerbaijani servicemen.

Then the accused Garik Martirosyan was questioned by public prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev. In response to questions, the accused emphasized that he had joined the Armenian army in 1993 and had taken part in battles in the previously occupied territories of Azerbaijan – in the villages of Aghbulag in Askaran district and Sarijali in Aghdam district. “The armed group I joined was called the ‘Askaran Regiment’ and its commander was Vitaly Balasanyan.”

In addition, the accused said that he had participated in battles within the Armenian army in 1993, mainly in the Aghdam and Aghdara directions, as a shooter and had been awarded the medal “For Courage” by the “president” of the so-called republic.

In response to questions from public prosecutor Fuad Musayev, he stated that he had been involved in battles in Askaran during the 44-day war and had been stationed at checkpoints set up around the village.

The accused also admitted that he had opened fire from his Kalashnikov assault rifle in the direction of positions of the Azerbaijani military.

The next court hearing is scheduled for April 10. The proceedings will be continued with questions to be asked of the accused.

We recall that a total of 15 Armenian nationals are being charged with numerous crimes involving direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, its state bodies, military forces and illegal armed formations, verbal and written instructions, orders and assignments, provision of material and technical support, central governance, as well as the exercise of rigorous control, with the aim of committing military aggression and acts of terror against the Republic of Azerbaijan in the territory of Azerbaijan in violation of domestic and international law, and involving Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Mushegi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan and others, including criminal acts committed during the course of the war of aggression waged by the aforementioned criminal group.

The said persons, i.e. Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan, are being charged under Articles 100 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of aggression), 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of the population), 106 (enslaving), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of people), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary service), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict), 118 (military robbery), 120 (intentional murder), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.