Baku, November 6, AZERTAC

The open court hearing on the criminal cases against 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 planning and waging an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war), terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure and retention of power, and numerous other offenses resulting from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on November 6.

The session at Baku Military Court—presided by Judge Zeynal Agayev, with Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve Judge Gunel Samadova)—provided each accused with interpreters in their native language and legal representation.

Participants included the accused, their defenders, some victims and their legal heirs or representatives, and state prosecutors.

The session proceeded with prosecutors’ indictments, beginning the announcement of documents and evidence confirming the individual roles of the accused in the criminal organization.

Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General Vusal Aliyev presented evidence related to Arayik Harutyunyan, highlighting his direct and indirect involvement in all crimes committed by the organization from December 1991 to September 20, 2023.

The materials confirmed Harutyunyan’s participation, alongside his brother, in 1990s crimes against Azerbaijan, including battles in Karkijahan and Khojaly. He played a key role in maintaining the Armenian army’s combat readiness, supplying illegal armed groups, and enabling their operations.

Video evidence showed Harutyunyan inspecting combat positions in formerly occupied Azerbaijani territories, assessing forces, and ensuring military continuity—underscoring his critical role in information, organizational, and personnel support for aggression against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty.

Harutyunyan also publicized crimes and terrorist acts against Azerbaijani civilians via social media.

Examined evidence confirmed his involvement from 1991 in active combat during the First Karabakh War, subsequent war planning, ethnic cleansing, persecution, hostage-taking and torture, violations of war laws, forcible power seizure in the puppet regime, and missile attacks on civilian areas during the Second Karabakh War—resulting in genocide, population destruction, slavery, enforced disappearances, murder, illegal possession, and other crimes.

Nasir Bayramov, Head of the Department for Defense of State Prosecution at the Prosecutor General’s Office, outlined key aspects of charges against Levon Mnatsakanyan based on court investigation findings.

According to the prosecutor, evidence confirms that L. Mnatsakanyan participated in Armenia's aggressive war against Azerbaijan as part of its armed forces. Serving in various military roles, he was a key member of the criminal organization and played a crucial role in the puppet regime's "army building."

He contributed not only to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories but also to their prolonged retention by forming the largest military unit of the Armenian armed forces under the guise of the illegal entity.

State prosecutor Fuad Musayev outlined essential details of charges against Bako Sahakyan based on the court investigation.

Despite being the only accused with a law degree, Sahakyan's denial of ethnic cleansing, aggressive war, occupation, and other crimes against Azerbaijanis insults human and moral values. Such conduct disqualifies him from speaking of justice or objectivity.

Sahakyan served as an aide to Serzh Sargsyan, who directly led the aggression, ethnic cleansing, and crimes. After receiving key instructions, he held "positions" in the puppet regime, demonstrating loyalty to the criminal ideology and occupation policy formed since 1988.

His numerous interviews examined in court confirm this.

Evidence shows that from 1988 to 2023, Sahakyan participated in terrorist acts against Azerbaijan and, through various functions in the criminal organization, contributed to genocide, population destruction, slavery, enforced disappearances, murder, illegal entrepreneurship, and other charged crimes.

State prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev presented key charge details against David Manukyan.

Manukyan held high positions in the Armenian armed forces, including its largest unit, playing a primary role in keeping Azerbaijani territories occupied. From the start to the end of the First Karabakh War, his Shusha battalion—formed on September 1, 1992, from "Dashnaksutyun" volunteer units—actively participated in occupying Hadrut, Asgaran, Shusha, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Kalbajar, and Zangezur districts between 1991-1994.

Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments Tugay Rahimli announced essential charge aspects against Arkadi Ghukasyan based on examined evidence.

Considering the duration and nature of Ghukasyan's criminal activity, he joined the criminal organization from its earliest days. Thus, he is charged for all crimes committed during Armenia's aggression and occupation from 1988 to September 2023.

Ghukasyan not only verbally defended the occupation but encouraged military and political leaders, amplifying their actions. He promoted the policy legally and politically, legitimizing violence against civilians.

During the prosecution's presentations, photos of the accused's crimes were displayed in the courtroom.

The trial will continue on November 7.

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.