Azerbaijan sends criminal case against Karabakh separatists to court

The criminal case regarding the illegal actions committed against Azerbaijan by the self-proclaimed “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” and its illegal armed formations, which were established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan with the full support of Armenia and its Armed Forces, has been sent to court.

The Prosecutor General 's Office of Azerbaijan issued a statement confirming the development, Caliber.Az reports.

The investigation, conducted by the Investigation Department of the General Prosecutor's Office, focused on a range of crimes, including aggression against Azerbaijan and its people, occupation, genocide, war crimes, terrorism, and financing of terrorism. These actions were carried out by the illegal separatist forces supported by Armenia.

On May 2 of this year, a decision was made by the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan to merge into a single proceeding 1,389 criminal cases investigated by the Prosecutor General’s Office and various investigative bodies in connection with crimes committed between October 1987 and April 22, 2024. 

This unified investigation was conducted by a team led by the Prosecutor General’s Office consisting of professional investigators from the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Customs Committee, and the Military Prosecutor's Office.

Based on the collected reliable evidence, new charges have been brought against 15 members of the criminal organization consisting of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and illegal separatist armed groups in connection with 2548 episodes. The accused individuals Arkadi Arshaviri (Arshavirovich) Ghukasyan (Ğukasyan), Harutyunyan Arayik Vladimiri (Vladimirovich), Sahakyan Bako Sahaki, Ishkhanyan Davit Rubeni, Babayan Davit Klimi (Klimovich), Mnatsakanyan Lyova Henrikhi, Manukyan Davit Azati, Martirosyan Garik Grigori, Pashayan Melikset Vladimiri, Allahverdyan Davit Nelsoni, Stepanyan Gurgen Homerosi, Balayan Levon Romiki, Babayan Madat Arakeli (Arakelovich), Beglaryan Vasili Ivani, and Ghazaryan Erik Roberti have been charged as accused persons for their involvement in a criminal organization during specific periods, under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, or waging an aggressive war), Article 102 (attacks on internationally protected persons or organizations), Article 103 (genocide), Article 105 (extermination of population), Article 106 (slavery), Article 107 (deportation or forcible transfer of population), Article 109 (persecution), Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons through violence), Article 112 (unlawful deprivation of liberty in violation of international law), Article 113 (torture), Article 114 (mercenarism), Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law norms during armed conflict), Article 118 (war looting), Article 120 (premeditated murder), Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), Article 214 (terrorism), Article 214-1 (financing of terrorism), Article 218 (establishment of a criminal organization), Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, or carrying of firearms, their components, ammunition, explosive substances, and devices), Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), Article 277 (attempt on the life of a state or public figure), Article 278 (forceful seizure of power and its forcible retention, forceful alteration of the state's constitutional order), Article 279 (creation of armed groups and units not provided for by law) and other articles. The rights of each accused person, including the right to defence, the use of the language they know, and other procedural rights have been ensured. The accused individuals have been provided with lawyers.

Based on the investigative body's petition and the supervising prosecutor's submission, the court issued decisions on pre-trial detention measures for the accused. 

Either during or after the preliminary investigation, petitions and complaints submitted by the defendants were reviewed per the requirements of the criminal procedure legislation, and relevant decisions were made. The defendants and other participants in the criminal process were informed about the conclusion of the preliminary investigation and given access to review all the criminal case materials.

At the same time, the criminal case regarding other individuals accused of committing numerous crimes has been separated into a distinct proceeding, and the preliminary investigation is ongoing.

The Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, based on substantial grounds that many individuals suspected or identified as witnesses in these episodes are located in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, invites the relevant authorities of the Republic of Armenia to cooperate.

The Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan approved the indictment on December 16, 2024, and submitted it to the Baku Military Court for consideration.

By Vafa Guliyeva