Another court trial over Meshali genocide culprit ends Victims testify against Khachaturyan/UPDATED

Another trial in the criminal case of Vagif Khachaturyan, accused of participating in the genocide in Meshali village of Khojaly district, as part of illegal Armenian armed groups, was held on November 1.

The victims gave testimony at the trial, Report informs.

The next trial is scheduled for November 6.

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Residents of Meshali village claimed that Vagif Khachaturyan was the culprit and participant in all criminal actions.

According to Trend, the victim Salman Rahimov testified at the regular session of the court on the criminal case of Vagif Cherkezovich Khachaturyan, accused of committing genocide in Meshali village of Khojali district as part of Armenian illegal armed groups.

"Armenians attacked Meshali village at night when everyone was sleeping. I was wounded in a leg. I saw Armenians burning the village and killing innocent people.

I ask the court to sentence Vagif Khachaturyan to life imprisonment," the victim added.

11:03

The trial of Vagif Cherkezovich Khachaturyan, accused of committing genocide in Meshali village of Khojaly region as a member of illegal Armenian armed formations, is underway.

The session is chaired by the chairman of Baku Military Court Zeynal Aghayev, APA reports.

09:18

A regular court hearing on the criminal case of Vagif Khachaturyan, accused of participation in the genocide committed on December 22, 1991, in Meshali village of Khojaly district by members of illegal Armenian armed groups, will be held today, November 1.

The trial is being held in the administrative building of Yasamal District Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev of Baku Military Court, per Report.

The victims will testify at the court session.

It should be noted that Vagif Khachaturyan is accused of participating in the massacre of Azerbaijanis in Meshali village of Khojaly district on December 22, 1991, as part of Armenian military formations. As a result, 27 Azerbaijanis were killed, 21 people were wounded of varying degrees of severity, two villagers were taken hostage and 340 people were expelled from their homes. In total, the villagers suffered damage of $7.6 million, and the state suffered damage of $76,000.

Khachaturyan was detained in July this year at the Lachin border checkpoint.

A criminal case was opened against him under articles 103 (genocide) and 107 (deportation or forced resettlement of the population), and a preventive measure in the form of remand in custody was chosen.

Article 103 ("Genocide - actions aimed at the complete or partial destruction of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group by killing members of this group, causing serious harm to their health or serious harm to their mental abilities, creating living conditions designed for the complete or partial physical destruction of members of this group, carrying out activities aimed at prevention of births within a group, forced transfer of children belonging to one group to another") - provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 14 to 20 years or life imprisonment.

Article 107 ("Deportation or forced relocation of the population, the expulsion of the population from legal places of settlement to another State or expulsion by other coercive actions, without grounds established by the norms of international law and the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan") provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years.

Both articles belong to the category of grave and especially grave crimes. Thus, according to the totality of the articles, Vagif Khachaturyan can expect a sentence of 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.