Baku, September 15, AZERTAC

The open court hearing regarding the criminal cases of citizens of the Republic of Armenia—Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others—accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violation of war laws and customs, terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure and retention of power, and numerous other crimes resulting from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on September 15.

The trial, held at the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), ensured that all accused persons were provided with translators in their preferred language and defense lawyers.

The session was attended by the accused, their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state’s charges.

First, Judge Zeynal Aghayev announced that the accused Gurgen Stepanyan had been provided with a new lawyer and asked him whether he had any objections to this matter, to which G.Stepanyan stated that he had no objections.

The trial continued with the examination of documents. It was mentioned that the documents to be announced will be reviewed episode by episode.

One of the documents announced concerned the testimonies of suspects and witnesses regarding the mass riots organized in Karkijahan settlement of the Khankendi city in 1988-1991, destroying of the houses of Azerbaijani residents living in the settlement.

According to the document announced, Sargsyan Georgiy Isakovich, who was interrogated as a suspect, mentioned in his testimony that on September 18-20, 1988, the houses of Azerbaijanis were destroyed and set on fire by Armenians, and Azerbaijanis were expelled from the city of Khankendi.

According to another document, G. Sargsyan noted that his group included Arkas, Shahin, Razmik, the Balayan brothers, the driver Edik, the Vanik and Vachik brothers, Grisha, and Maxim.

According to the same document, Safarov Shahverdi Bahlul oglu, who was interrogated as a witness, stated that beginning from 1988, the houses inhabited by Azerbaijanis in the settlement of Karkijahan were raided, adding that these raids were orchestrated by an Armenian named Jora.

According to the document announced, Khachaturyan Aleksandr, who was interrogated as a witness, stated in his testimony thar since February 1988, Araksi, Kaprelyan Gurgen, Racha Beglaryan and others began to stir up animosity between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Araksi, while speaking in the Karkijahan settlement, called for the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from Karabakh. Since February 1988, the armed forces led by Sargsyan Jora organized the displacement of Azerbaijanis from Karabakh, and prepared measures against Azerbaijanis with other people, walking around in military uniforms.

According to another document, victim Abuzarov Avaz Ali oglu stated in his testimony that in 1990, Armenians killed Rzayev Tapdig Kochari oglu using firearms. On June 3, 1991, the Armenians once again attacked the settlement of Karkijahan. Ramiz Salahov, Rahimov Shukur Gasim oglu, Sahilov Atdikhan Mammad oglu, Safarov Osman Mardan oglu and individuals whose names he forgot sustained injuries as a result of Armenian’s shelling with gunfire. During those incidents, Safarov Aghali Aydin oglu was killed. Another attack on Karkijahan took place on September 25, 1991. At that time, Huseynov Aslan Mardan oglu suffered a bullet wound to his leg. On September 30, Armenians killed Karkijahan resident Telman Yelmar Hasanov in front of his house using automatic gunfire, while wounding teacher Abuzarova Banovsha Abdulazim, as well as Tarverdiyev Afgan Novru oglu, Soltanov Saleh Huseyngulu oglu, Salahov Nuraddin Musa oglu and others. Salahova saw when Balasanyan Gadir Ashot fired and wounded Shakar Sada. On December 28, Armenians attacked Karkijahan from all directions. On January 13, 1992, Aliyev Ilham Bahadur was shot dead by Armenians.

Rustamov Mushfig Isfandiyar oglu, who was interrogated as a witness in the criminal case on the murder of Mammadov Arif Kochari oglu, stated in his testimony that on May 16, 1991, as a result of operational measures carried out by the employees of the Khojavand District Police Department to arrest persons suspected of manufacturing firearms and attacks on Azerbaijani villages, the suspect Borik Suleymanyan was detained. When he was detained, approximately 150-200 Armenians tried to prevent Borik from being taken away. When Borik was brought to the police department, the vehicle they were driving in was shelled in the direction of the cattle farm of the Chartaz village. As a result, his colleague Arif Mammadov received a bullet wound and died a few hours later at the Fuzuli District Central Hospital.

Another document announced concerned the fact that Guliyev Sevdayar Najaf oglu, a resident of the Chullu village of the Jabrayil district, was killed by gunfire from Armenian forces in the forest in the Dolanlar village of the Hadrut district.

Documents regarding the missing individuals, Hashimova Shovkat Shukur gizi and Safaraliyev Javanshir Mahmud oglu, were also presented in the court.

Ibrahimov Zakir Shukur oglu, who was interrogated as a witness, testified that on November 10, 1989, his sister Shovkat Hashimova traveled by bus from Khojaly to the Aghdam district. When she intended to return the same day, she requested a ride to the bus from the driver of a blue “Moskvich” vehicle, whom she didn’t know, in Aghdam. While standing on the side of the road in the Asgaran district, police officers named Maxim and Ararat Minosyan, forcibly stopped the “Moskvich” vehicle. They took the passenger, Shovkat, and the driver, who was later identified as Javanshir, a one-legged war veteran, to the Asgaran police department. After that, there was no further news of these people. He also later learned that a blue “Moskvich” vehicle had been set on fire in the Asgaran area.

The court also announced related to the discovery of "Alazan-2M" missile installations in the forest area of the Asgaran district, the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from the city of Khankendi through propaganda in January-February 1988, the shelling of a state farm in the village of Yukhari Yayji in the Sharur district on June 13, 1991, the armed raid on the village of Imarat-Garvand in the Aghdara district on July 17, 1991, the shelling of a farm in the village of Garadaghli in the Khojavand district on June 27-28, 1991, and other facts.

Other documents and witness statements related to the murder of Garibov Maarif Atash oglu, a shepherd of the sheep farm of the collective farm named after M.F. Akhundov in the Gozlu village of Aghdara district, by armed Armenians in an area called "Sarygaya" on the Kalbajar-Marjimak highway, as well as Sharifov Yagub Kamal oglu, and Gasimov Gara Samad oglu, a resident of the Umudlu village of Aghdara district were also presented in the court.

The court also heard the announcement of episodes on the murder of Imanov Mahal Novruz oglu, Hasanov Vagif Gazanfar oglu, Imanov Novruz Goyush oglu, and Hasanov Gazanfar Ashur oglu by gunfire.

The court proceedings will continue on September 18.

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.