Baku Court rejects Meshali genocide perpetrator Vagif Khachatryan’s appeal

Another trial has taken place on an appeal against the verdict of Vagif Khachatryan, found guilty of committing genocide in the village of Meshali, Khojaly district of Azerbaijan.

The panel of judges chaired by Hasan Ahmadov found no violations in the verdict against Khachatryan. Based on the decision, the appeal was not satisfied and the verdict of the court of first instance was kept in force, APA reports.

The trial on the criminal case of Khachatryan, accused of participating in committing genocide in the village of Meshali of Azerbaijan's Khojaly district, was brought to an end on November 7.

Chairman of Baku Military Court Zeynal Agayev announced the verdict at the court session.

According to the verdict, Khachatryan was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. The verdict states that Khachatryan should serve the first 5 years of his sentence in prison, and the rest - in a high-security correctional institution.

Armenian citizen Vagif Khachatryan, who was on the international wanted list about the genocide in Meshali, was detained at Lachin checkpoint last July. In December 1991, the criminal group, which included Khachatryan, killed 25 Azerbaijanis, wounded 14 people, and expelled 358 Azerbaijanis from their legal place of residence in Meshali village.

In connection with the emergence of sufficient grounded suspicions, a decision was made to bring Khachatryan as an accused under Articles 103 (genocide) and 107 (deportation or forced resettlement of the population) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

A measure of restraint in the form of detention was chosen against him.

About 59 people were recognized as victims in the criminal case.