Baku, September 12, AZERTAC

The open court hearing in the criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia—Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others—who are accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes, stemming from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on September 12.

The court session at the Baku Military Court, chaired by Judge Zeynal Agayev and composed of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (with reserve judge Gunel Samadova), provided each accused person with an interpreter in their native language, as well as representatives for their defense.

The session was attended by the accused individuals, their defenders, a portion of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state prosecution.

The court hearing continued with the announcement of documents.

One of the documents announced concerned the attack on a bus traveling along the Khojavend–Garadaghli road on January 12, 1991. The bus, driven by Rahimov Kamal Bakhish oghlu, a resident of the Khojavend district, and carrying 25–30 residents of the village of Khojavend, was shelled by Armenians with weapons of various calibers on the 6th kilometer of the Khojavend–Kish–Garadaghli road in Khojavend.

Another document related to the murder of Farana Nariman Nazarova on January 28, 1991. She was shot dead in the village of Khojavend, Khojavend district.

The following document indicated that 7th-grade student Mammadov Azer Ispandiyar oghlu, a resident of the same village, was wounded in the stomach on January 29, 1991, while playing with his peers on the street.

Another criminal case document stated that on February 15, 1991, Nabiyev Jamal Abbasali oghlu was killed as a result of shelling with automatic weapons and other gunfire from a distance of 40–50 meters at a pass near the village of Buzlug while traveling along a mountain road from the village of Bash Gishlag in Goranboy district, where he lived, to the village of Sarisu in Khanlar (now Goygol) district.

Another document made public concerned the shelling of a bus. It was noted that on February 24, 1991, at the 99th kilometer of the Yevlakh–Lachin highway in the eastern part of the city of Khankendi, unknown persons attacked a passenger bus, driven by Z.Aliyev, a driver of the Shusha Automobile Transport Enterprise, using explosive devices and automatic weapons. Several civilians were injured to varying degrees, and the bus was rendered unusable.

In addition, a document on the murder of Muradov Gorkhmaz Murad oghlu was also read out. It was reported that Muradov, an employee of the Aghdam District Police Department, was taken hostage by Armenians on February 25, 1991, and a day later was killed in the village of Hajili (Hasli) in Khojavend district.

The documents announced also included materials from criminal cases related to the intentional killing of Yusifov Hagverdi Shafi oghlu, a resident of Khojavend village in Khojavand district, by Armenians on March 2, 1991, the murder of Guliyev Akbar Mammad oghlu and Huseynov Zulfugar Demir oghlu, residents of Garadaghli village in Khojavand district, by gunfires on March 8, as well as criminal case materials related to other facts.

Another document made public concerned to the shelling of a helicopter during the flight on April 4, 1991. A helicopter belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, carrying deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was damaged as a result of shelling during a flight to the village of Goytala in Shusha district, made an emergency landing in the village of Turshsu and crashed, injuring some passengers.

Documents and photos regarding the shooting of a "GAZ-469" vehicle on February 20, 1991, and the killing of Imanov Dashdemir Teyyub oghlu and Musayev Gurzali Oruj oglu were also presented.

In addition, facts were presented regarding the killing of Azerbaijanis, the establishment of armed groups for the purpose of destroying their homes and other purposes, the shelling of the village of Nabiler in Shusha district on April 18, 1991, the city of Shusha on April 23, and the attack on a car convoy traveling along the Shusha-Aghdam route on April 19.

Another document mentioned that on April 26, 1991, police officers Khametov Azer Aliyulla oghlu and Rahimkhanov Salimkhan Rahimkhanovich, as well as Verdiyev Najaf Ashraf oghlu, a resident of the village of Sarisu, were killed as results of grenade launchers, machine guns, automatic rifles, and snipers, while Bayramov Emin Mikayil oghlu was wounded.

According to another document announced, from April 26 to 28, 1991, Sadarak came under artillery and mortar fire from the Armenian settlements of Arazdayan and Parursevak and from the foothills of Mount Kyzyldash, hundreds of shells and "Alazan-2M-ICT" type missiles hit the settlement, as a result of which 26 villagers, including 3 police officers, received various degrees of bodily injuries.

The proceedings also highlighted the facts of mass riots held in the settlement of Karkijahan in 1988-1991, the destruction of Azerbaijani residents' houses and the killing of civilians.

Then, accused David Babayan asked the court to take his statements given during the court investigation into account as he commented on his statement given during the preliminary investigation.

Subsequently, the lawyer of accused Gurgen Stepanyan in court requested that his participation in the trial be terminated, citing the fact that he is currently undergoing treatment.

The judge asked whether the accused had any objections, and G. Stepanyan stated that he had no objections.

By the court's decision, the participation of the defense lawyer of accused Gurgen Stepanyan in the trial was terminated.

It was mentioned that a copy of the decision will be sent to the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the appointment of a new defense lawyer for G. Stepanyan at the public expense.

The court proceedings will continue on September 15.

Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others.

The following individuals - 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, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles.