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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, continued on April 10.

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.

While answering the questions of public prosecutor Tarana Mammadova, the accused Melikset Pashayan admitted that he had illegally served in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia at the time. Melikset Pashayan, who served in the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia, said that he had been given a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Noting that he had undergone his regular military service in the Far East from 1989 to 1991, Melikset Pashayan noted that he had joined the “Asgaran Regiment” in 1993. He said, “I was at a combat post from approximately May 1993 to 1994 – until ceasefire was agreed. Vilen Safaryan was our battalion commander.”

Melikset Pashayan also said that he had served in the 31st battalion during the First Karabakh War, adding that Vitaly Balasanyan was the commander of his military unit. He said that he had been at combat posts in various villages of Asgaran, Aghdara and Aghdam districts. The accused revealed that there were automatic weapons, machine guns and mortars available to combat posts.

Melikset Pashayan said he had also received a Kalashnikov assault rifle during the Second Karabakh War. When asked who the weapon was intended for use against, he answered, “Against the Azerbaijani Army...”.

Melikset Pashayan was part of an armed unit established in the village of Ashagi Yemishjan in Khojaly district from May to September 2023. The accused stated that he was awarded the self-styled republic’s medal “For bravery”. Confirming that, among other areas, he had been stationed at combat posts in Sarijali, Gulluja and other villages of Aghdam district, the accused said in response to the public prosecutor’s question, “Aghdam is a district of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. However, he could not answer the question of what and who he was protecting in the territories of Azerbaijan.

Melikset Pashayan also said that mines had been planted around combat posts by Armenian engineers and sappers. He noted that he received a salary for his military service both during the first and second Karabakh wars and afterwards.

Then the accused Davit Allahverdiyan answered the questions of public prosecutor Fuad Musayev. He said that he studied at “Khankendi University”, served in the military unit in Asgaran in 2006-2008 and was on combat duty in Aghdam. He said, “Artur Harutyunyan was the commander of the military unit. While in military service, I was provided with a sniper rifle”. According to him, upon returning from military service, he continued his higher education. However, the university he studied earlier had become a “branch” of the Armenian Agrarian University.

Answering the questions of the Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, Vusal Aliyev, Davit Allahverdiyan said that on September 1, 2020, he worked in the “position” of the “head of the agricultural sector of the security council” in the self-proclaimed republic established in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan once occupied by Armenia, and then served as an “advisor to the minister of agriculture”.

The accused said that he was called up for military service during the 44-day war, adding that he was given an automatic weapon. He later joined an illegal armed group in January 2023. Since he was part of the armed group, he received a salary for the number of days of military service.

Davit Allahverdiyan, who was an “official” in the agricultural sector, acknowledged that grain was sown in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan once occupied by Armenia and that the produce was sent to Armenia.

Then the accused Levon Balayan answered questions from public prosecutors. Levon Balayan said that he was born in Baku in 1978 and fought against Azerbaijan in the 44-day war.

At this time, the accused David Babayan was warned by the judge for helping Levon Balayan to answer the questions.

Levon Balayan said that he had joined an illegal military unit in exchange for a monthly salary after the war, receiving a salary equivalent to 400-500 US dollars in Armenian drams.

The accused Gurgen Stepanyan, while answering the questions of public prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev, said that he was called up for military service as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia in 2006 and underwent two years of military service in Fuzuli district of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was occupied at the time.

“I lived in the city of Jermukh, Armenia. I was called up for military service by the Armenian state,” he added. Gurgen Stepanyan also said that there were predominantly Armenian citizens among officers in the military unit where he served.

The accused, who said that he had then joined the “Khojavand Regiment”, admitted that he had received a salary via bank card in exchange for his service.

While answering the questions of the Head of the Department of Public Prosecution of the Prosecutor General's Office, Nasir Bayramov, the accused Vasily Beglaryan said that he was in military service in Aghdara in 2012-2013, lived in the village of Edilli in Khojavand district until 2018 and then in the city of Yerevan, Armenia, until 2022.

The accused, who said that he had come to Khankendi in September of that year to start his military service, noted that he had received a salary of 400,000 Armenian drams per month.

In response to questions from the Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments, Tugay Rahimli, the accused Erik Ghazaryan said that in 2021 he had left the city of Gafan, Armenia, for the city of Khankendi, Azerbaijan, for extended military service.

“Any citizen of Armenia could apply for military service,” the accused said, adding that the only condition for this was to change the place of registration. He said, “I left the Gafan registration in about a month and was registered in Aghdara.”

He said that he had received a salary of about 400,000 drams (approximately 800 US dollars) per month for extended military service. The accused also said that he had an automatic weapon on him when he was detained by Azerbaijani servicemen.

The next court hearing is scheduled for April 11. The proceedings will continue with questions to be asked of the accused.

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.