Azerbaijan to launch criminal trials against Armenian separatists List

The Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office has revealed the names of the prosecutors handling the case against a group of Armenians accused of committing war crimes against Azerbaijan.

A special team of prosecutors has been formed under the instruction of Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev, the Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office told Caliber.Az.

The team includes the following members: Vusal Aliyev, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General and Justice Advisor Tugay Rahimli, Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments and Second-Rank Lawyer Nasir Bayramov, Head of the Department for State Prosecution Defense in Baku Courts, State Prosecution Defense Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, Justice Advisor Fuad Musayev, Prosecutor in the Department for State Prosecution Defense in Courts for Serious Crimes, State Prosecution Defense Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, Justice Advisor Vusal Abdullayev, Senior Prosecutor-Methodologist in the Department for State Prosecution Defense in Courts for Serious Crimes, State Prosecution Defense Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, Justice Advisor Tarana Mammadova, Prosecutor in the Department for State Prosecution Defense in Baku Courts, State Prosecution Defense Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, Junior Justice Advisor.

The criminal trials against representatives of the former Armenian separatist regime in Karabakh, accused of war crimes against Azerbaijan and its people, will begin in Baku on January 17. Among those charged is Ruben Vardanyan, the so-called "state minister" of the separatists.

The court sessions will be held at the Baku Court Complex in the Hovsan settlement of the Surakhani district of Baku.

The first session will address the case involving Arkadi Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, "chairman of the parliament" David Ishkhanyan, former "foreign minister" David Babayan, “generals” Lyova Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Allahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasily Beglaryan, and Erik Ghazaryan.

A preliminary hearing on the criminal case against Ruben Vardanyan will be held at 15:00 (GMT+4). Both cases are being handled by Chairman of the Baku Military Court Zeynal Aghayev.

Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian tycoon who financially supported the separatist movement, was the first to be arrested on September 27, 2023. The detentions come after the Azerbaijani government regained control of Karabakh following the 2020 war.

These individuals face serious charges under Azerbaijan's Criminal Code, including terrorism, financing terrorism, and the illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Specifically, they have been accused of engaging in terrorism, supporting armed groups, and organizing training for terrorism. Vardanyan, in particular, is accused of fueling separatism both politically and financially, having renounced his Russian citizenship and moved to Karabakh in September 2022.

Azerbaijan's actions are part of a broader effort to hold accountable those involved in the separatist regime, following its collapse after the 2020 ceasefire. The detentions and charges reflect legal ramifications following the Karabakh conflict.

By Naila Huseynova