Armenian court upholds 5.5-year sentence for ex-chief of Karabakh occupation forces

An appeals court has upheld the 5.5-year prison sentence for Jalal Harutyunyan, the former commander of the Armenian occupying forces in Karabakh. 

Earlier this year, the Syunik Regional Court of General Jurisdiction sentenced Harutyunyan to five and a half years behind bars, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media.

The charges relate to two incidents during the 44-day conflict in 2020.

The first concerns a counteroffensive launched in early October in the southern sector, which ended unsuccessfully for the Armenian side.

Investigators argue that Harutyunyan’s actions resulted in significant casualties and loss of armoured vehicles, rendering reserve forces combat ineffective and allowing Azerbaijani forces to seize key firing positions.

The second charge involves the destruction of an artillery battalion near Fizuli on October 12, 2020.

According to the prosecution, troops were encircled partly due to erroneous intelligence from the command, including mistakes attributed to Harutyunyan.

Harutyunyan was arrested in September 2022 following the formal presentation of charges.

Jalal Harutyunyan led the Armenian occupying troops during the main period of the 44-day war until October 27, 2020, when he was seriously wounded. Command then passed to General Mikael Arzumanyan.

By Ahghakazim Guliyev