Azerbaijani hostage recounts Armenian brutality in court: "We were beaten every night"

At the ongoing trial in the Baku Military Court, additional victims of wartime atrocities continued to testify, shedding light on the brutalities committed during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

One of the victims, Rafiq Guliyev, a resident of the village of Garadaghli, gave harrowing testimony recounting numerous attacks by Armenian armed forces, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

These included the repeated shelling of the village, targeted shootings at buses, torture, and the killing of Azerbaijani civilians. Guliyev also addressed questions about the occupation of his village, stating, “They told us: Karabakh belongs to the Armenians—leave.”

Guliyev recalled that during the occupation of Garadaghli, he, along with his father Alastan Guliyev and his mother, were taken hostage by Armenian military personnel. He testified that they, along with other Azerbaijani captives, were loaded into KamAZ trucks and transported to Khankendi. During the journey, he said the convoy was stopped at a place known as “Baylik Baghi,” where some of the hostages were executed on the spot.

According to Rafiq Guliyev, his father Alastan Guliyev later died as a result of the torture he endured at the hands of Armenian soldiers. “My mother was returned 13 days after being taken hostage. I was released after 45 days. While we were in captivity, we were beaten every evening. Each day we were given a piece of bread and a bit of water just to keep us alive. But the torture continued,” Rafiq Guliyev said.

The court proceedings in Baku are part of an ongoing trial against several Armenian nationals accused of a broad range of serious crimes. These include crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, planning and waging an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, the financing of terrorism, violent seizure and retention of power, and other grave offences.

To date, a total of 15 Armenian nationals face charges stemming from their involvement in operations directed and supported by the Armenian state and its armed forces. The prosecution has cited a pattern of military aggression and terror acts carried out on Azerbaijani territory, which were allegedly orchestrated with the knowledge, support, and active participation of senior figures from Armenia’s political and military leadership. These include Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Mushegi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others associated with the wartime campaign.

The accused individuals in this case—Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan—are being prosecuted under a wide array of criminal statutes.

These include Articles 100 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of aggression), 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of the population), 106 (enslaving), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of people), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary service), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict), 118 (military robbery), 120 (intentional murder), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law), among others, as stipulated in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The trial is ongoing, and further testimonies are expected to reveal more details of the crimes committed during the years of conflict.

By Tamilla Hasanova