Azerbaijan set to announce charges against Ruben Vardanyan on February 10

The trial of Ruben Vardanyan, accused of committing grave crimes against Azerbaijan, continued on February 6, 2025, with his lawyer, Avraam Berman, requesting a confidential meeting with his client.

The judge granted the motion and ensured conditions for the meeting, Caliber.Az reports via Azertag.

As a result, a break was declared in the session. After the break, the court proceedings resumed. After hearing the prosecution and defense, the presiding judge announced the start of the judicial investigation. The prosecutor representing the state prosecution read the final part of the indictment.

According to the charges, Ruben Vardanyan joined a criminal organization formed to commit serious and especially serious crimes, led it, and acted in accordance with its objectives.

The prosecutor pointed out that this criminal organization, created with the assistance of the Armenian state and led by Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Samvel Babayan, Vitaly Balasanyan, Zori Balayan, Seyran Ohanyan, Monte Melkonian, and others, waged a systematic and large-scale war against the Republic of Azerbaijan. Given the large volume of the indictment, its reading will continue at the next court hearing, which will take place on February 10th.

Vardanyan has been charged with committing acts under Articles 100 (planning, preparation, initiation, or waging of aggressive war), 107 (deportation or forcible relocation of population), 109 (persecution), 112 (unlawful detention in violation of international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenarism), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts), 214 (terrorism), and 214-1 (financing of terrorism) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In addition, he is accused of committing acts under Articles 218 (organization of a criminal community (criminal organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, or carrying of weapons, components, ammunition, explosives, and explosive devices), 270-1 (acts creating a threat to aviation security), 278 (violent seizure of power or violent retention of power, violent change of the constitutional order of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law), 318 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan), and other articles of this code.