Babayan tells court Armenian state funded military supplies during 2020 war PHOTO

The Baku Military Court on August 29 continued hearings in the criminal cases against 15 Armenian-origin defendants, including former leaders of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh regime Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan. They are charged with committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, genocide, terrorism, forcible seizure and retention of power, and other serious offenses in connection with Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.

The session, chaired by Judge Zeynal Agayev alongside Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev, heard the announcement of testimonies given by defendants Bako Sahakyan and David Babayan during the preliminary investigation. Defendants were provided with translators in their preferred languages and legal representation, Caliber.Az reports via Azertag.  

The session was attended by the defendants, their defence attorneys, some of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors representing the state.

He stated that Armenia’s Defence Ministry deployed the “S-300” missile system to Shusha between 2015 and 2020, and that military supplies to the regime before and after the 2020 war were provided under Armenia’s directives and funded from its state budget.

Bako Sahakyan added that the Armenian Defence Ministry had supplied “the ministry of defence” of the so-called regime with military ammunition and other supplies.

Babayan, who held senior posts in the illegal entity from 2020 to 2023, testified that all ammunition supplies came from Armenia via the Gorus-Lachin-Khankendi and the Basarkechar-Kalbajar-Aghdara-Khankendi roads. He said revenues from hydroelectric plants and local products, including alcoholic beverages, were sold to Armenia and abroad. He also admitted to the transport of real estate from occupied territories such as Aghdam and Fuzuli.

Subsequently, the testimonies given by defendant David Babayan, during the preliminary investigation, along with other related documents, were presented.

The testimony revealed that David Babayan was appointed as a “presidential advisor” of the so-called regime in 2020, as a “foreign minister” in 2021, and as an “advisor to the president – a representative of the so-called regime on special assignments” in 2023.

From 2007 to 2019, he travelled to various countries with Bako Sahakyan, participating in meetings as a representative of the so-called "Presidential Administration" of the regime and as an interpreter. The main purpose of the meetings was to ensure that Armenians living abroad provided financial assistance to Armenians living in the then occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

In his testimony, he emphasised that the mining of territories commenced in 1994 and was carried out by the "Ministry of Defence." However, he was unaware of the individual specifically responsible for ordering and leading this. He said that the activities of the so-called regime's "army" were carried out in an integrated manner with the activities of the Armenian armed forces.

In his testimony, he admitted to the fact of transporting all real estate, including buildings, that existed in all regions and cities, especially in Aghdam and Fuzuli, which were under occupation.

According to the materials of the criminal case read out in court, D. Babayan, during the 44-day war of 2020 and the subsequent periods, as a "representative of the leader" of the so-called regime, made a statement on internet resources on January 4, 2021, in which he stated: "We will never be part of Azerbaijan. We cannot live together in one state. This is impossible! We are doomed to live side by side as neighbours, there is no other way out. But I do not see the possibility of living with Azerbaijanis within one state, as part of the Azerbaijani state, because in such a situation, Artsakh simply will not exist."

During the hearing, defendant Garik Martirosyan’s lawyer addressed the court, requesting his participation at the hearing to be terminated due to medical treatment.

The judge inquired if the defendant had any objections regarding the request. Martirosyan stated he had no objection regarding the request.

By the court decision, the participation of the lawyer of the accused Garik Martirosyan in the trial was terminated.

The court adopted the decision of appointing new defender for the defendant, and sent it to the Bar Association of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding its implementation.

Additionally, presiding judge Zeynal Aghayev stated that the lawyer of one of the victims (Nazrin Mammadli) informed that he would not be able to attend the court hearings due to family issues, therefore filing a request to terminate her participation in the criminal case.

Since there were no objections to the request, the lawyer's participation was terminated and a copy of the decision on the appointment of a new representative will be sent to the Bar Association.

The proceedings will resume on September 1.

Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms.

These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others.

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