Baku, December 25, AZERTAC

The hearing of the open court session in the criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia — Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others – accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and rules of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, violent seizure and retention of power, and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on December 25.

The court hearing at the Baku Military Court was held under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samedova). Each of the defendants was provided with an interpreter in a language they understand, as well as defense lawyers.

The hearing was attended by the defendants, their defense counsels, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors representing the state prosecution.

Presiding Judge Agayev stated that the court hearing was continuing with the defendants’ final statements.

During the hearing, defendant Levon Mnatsakanyan continued delivering his final statement.

In his address, the defendant stated that he did not agree with the charges brought against him and said: “I do not consider myself guilty of any of the charges brought against me.”

He noted that he was retracting his statements made during the preliminary investigation and asked the court to consider only the statements he made during the trial when delivering its decision.

Mnatsakanyan thanked the court for providing him with the opportunity to fully express his views.

At the end, he submitted to the court a 51-page text of the statement he had delivered over three days for inclusion in the court records.

Subsequently, defendant Arkadi Gukasyan delivered his final statement.

Gukasyan thanked his lawyers for their principled stance and proper defense, stating: “I am especially grateful for their correct approach to the case in order to uncover the truth, as well as for their humane attitude.”

He said that he did not agree with the evidence presented by the prosecution and voiced his counterarguments.

The defendant stated that the prosecution had presented his work at the “Soviet Karabakh” newspaper as a crime, which he did not agree with. He said that he was one of four deputy editors and worked as deputy editor responsible for Russian-language translation. He added that at the time, 16 employees were subordinate to him. The defendant stated that he did not consider the newspaper’s activities to be criminal.

He noted that he had left “big politics” in 2007 and had not returned since.

Gukasyan stated that he did not consider himself guilty of any of the charges brought against him.

Then, defendant Bako Sahakyan delivered his final statement. In his speech, B. Sahakyan thanked both of his defense counsels, saying: “I am grateful to them for their professionalism and humane attitude. The approach of both lawyers to this indictment can be assessed as being of very high quality from both advocacy and legal perspectives.”

He voiced his counterarguments to the statements made by the prosecution. Regarding the prosecution’s presentation of them as a criminal organization, he said: “There was no criminal organization, nor could there have been one.”

The defendant also spoke about his participation in the occupation of Shusha, stating: “When the judicial investigation began, I told my lawyer that yes, there is an episode related to my participation in Shusha (referring to participation in the occupation of Shusha – ed.), and I cannot conceal this in court.”

The court proceedings will continue on December 26.

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.