Appellate court panel retires to deliberate on appeals of Armenian citizens
Baku, July 31, AZERTAC
On July 31, the Baku Court of Appeal continued judicial proceedings on the appeals filed by citizens of the Republic of Armenia—Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others—who were convicted by the Baku Military Court for crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, including the preparation and waging of aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and numerous other offenses.
At the court session, presided over by Judge Elmar Rahimov of the Baku Court of Appeal, joined by Judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva (Reserve Judge Ali Mammadov also participated), all individuals subject to appellate proceedings were provided with interpreters in their respective spoken languages—Armenian and Russian—as well as defense counsel to ensure their right to a defense.
The court session was attended by representatives of the victims and state prosecutors representing the public prosecution, including Abbas Abbasli, Head of Department at the State Prosecution Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, and department prosecutors Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova.
At the beginning of the session, it was announced that employees of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan were also attending the proceedings as observers.
The court proceeding continued with the defendants' rebuttal.
Exercising his right to rebuttal, Bako Sahakyan continued his statement requesting the court to overturn the verdict of the first instance court and acquit him.
Other defendants Vasily Beglaryan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Madat Babayan, Gurgen Stepanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Melikset Pashayan, Garik Martirosyan, Davit Allahverdiyan, Levon Balayan and Erik Ghazaryan, as well as some of their defense attorneys, also used their right to rebuttal on the prosecution's statements.
The defense attorneys requested the court to overturn the verdict of the first instance court and acquit the defendants. The defendants, in turn, presented their arguments stating that they did not plead guilty to the charges against them. Thus, the period for all defendants to exercise their right to rebuttal has concluded.
Then, the representatives of the victims delivered statements, noting that the verdict of the first instance court was legal and justified, and that all the facts of the case were proven during the trial. Therefore, they requested the court to uphold the verdict without changing it.
Then, the prosecutors defending the public prosecution delivered statements, who emphasized that the verdict of the first instance court was lawful and well-founded, and the evidence presented in the appeals of the accused did not create grounds for its cancellation or change. Therefore, they requested that the court dismiss the appeals and uphold the conviction of the Baku Military Court without changes.
Presiding judge Elmar Rahimov announced the completion of the court hearing on the appeals filed. The appellate court panel retired to deliberate on appeals of Armenian citizens and reach a verdict.
Under the verdict of the Baku Military Court dated February 5, 2026, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment. Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan to 18 years, Davit Allahverdyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years, and Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan to 15 years' imprisonment.
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