Baku court hands 20-year prison term to Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan PHOTO / UPDATED

The Baku Military Court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, who was accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other serious offences.

The final verdict was delivered during an open court session chaired by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with judges Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov, and reserve judge Gunel Samadova. Vardanyan was provided with a translator in Russian, the language he speaks, and a state-appointed lawyer for his defence, Azertag reports.

The session was attended by the accused, his defence lawyer, victims and their legal heirs, prosecutors representing the state, as well as Rufat Mammadov, Head of the Cabinet of Ministers’ Apparatus, participating as a victim on behalf of the Azerbaijani government.

During the trial, which began on 17 January 2025, the court reclassified the charges under Article 228.2.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, while removing Articles 279.1 and 279.2 from the indictment.

Under the ruling, Vardanyan will serve the first 10 years in a standard prison, with the remainder of his sentence to be served in a high-security correctional facility. The prosecutor had originally sought a life sentence for the accused.

Ruben Vardanyan has been found guilty of the following crimes: planning, preparing, initiating, and waging aggressive war; forced population resettlement; persecution; enforced disappearance of persons; unlawful deprivation of liberty; torture; mercenarism; violation of the laws and customs of war; violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflict; intentional homicide; illegal business activities; terrorism; financing of terrorism; creation of a criminal organization; illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives, and devices; creating threats to aviation safety; forcible alteration of the constitutional order of the state; creation of armed groups not provided for by law; and illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

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The Baku Military Court has sentenced Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison for crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, financing of terrorism, and other serious offences, according to Azertag.

The verdict was delivered in an open court session chaired by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev, and reserve judge Gunel Samadova. Vardanyan was provided with a Russian-language translator and a state-appointed lawyer to ensure his legal defence.

The court session was attended by the accused, his defence lawyer, several victims and their legal heirs, prosecutors representing the Azerbaijani state, and Rufat Mammadov, Head of the Cabinet of Ministers Apparatus, who participated as a victim on behalf of the state.

According to the court, Vardanyan is to serve 20 years in prison. The state prosecutor had requested a life sentence for the accused.

The sentencing concludes the high-profile trial, which addressed serious allegations under Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code regarding war crimes, terrorism, and other grave offences.