Baku court to resume Vardanyan war crimes trial February 10

The next court hearing in the criminal case against Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, and financing terrorism, will take place on February 10, according to APA.

The trial had been postponed indefinitely on December 30 as the judicial panel, chaired by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and including Judges Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov (with reserve Judge Gunel Samadova), was attending deliberations in another case involving 15 Armenian citizens. The hearing will resume once the panel returns from that deliberation.

Vardanyan faces multiple charges under the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, including planning and waging an aggressive war, deportation and forced transfer of populations, persecution, forced disappearance, torture, mercenarism, violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflict, terrorism, attempted and intentional murder, creation of criminal organizations, illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and illegal crossing of the state border.

The charges stem from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, during which other Armenian citizens—including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan—have also been accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, terrorism, and attempting to forcibly seize power.

The broader trial, which began on January 17, 2025, has been ongoing for over a year, with final verdicts now delivered for some of the accused.

By Vugar Khalilov