Baku court trial of Armenian citizens continues as defendants deliver final statements PHOTO

On December 23, the Baku Military Court continued hearings in the high-profile trial of Armenian citizens, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others, accused of war crimes, genocide, and other offenses related to Armenia’s military actions against Azerbaijan. During the proceedings, Levon Mnatsakanyan advanced a series of counterarguments challenging the assertions presented.

The trial, held at the Baku Military Court under the presidency of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (with Gunel Samadova as the reserve judge), ensured that each accused person was provided with a translator in their preferred language and defense attorneys, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The session was attended by the defendants, their attorneys, select victims, legal successors, representatives of victims, and prosecutors representing the state.

Judge Aghayev announced that the hearing would continue with the final statements of the defendants.

During the session, Levon Mnatsakanyan presented counterarguments disputing claims made by the prosecution and victims concerning the April 2016 clashes, the involvement of mercenaries, and other matters.

Mnatsakanyan refuted allegations that he had planned the April clashes, asserting that the confrontations occurred within “defensive zones” and “divisions” controlled by the self-proclaimed regime, and that military operations were directed by those forces. Addressing accusations of damage to civilian infrastructure, he stated that civilian targets were not deliberately struck and that artillery fire was aimed exclusively at military objectives. He also noted that the “Defence Army,” Armenia’s largest military formation, received arms from the Armenian Armed Forces.

The former artillery brigade commander further addressed claims regarding damage to forests and monuments from artillery strikes, arguing that other weaponry may have contributed. “In addition to artillery, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, mortars, hand grenades, and other weapons were used,” Mnatsakanyan explained.

He also denied participation in killings in the Tunnell and Bashlibel areas, noting that he was receiving treatment and physiotherapy for an injury at the time. “The artillery of the central defensive zone was still being organized,” he added.

The trial is scheduled to resume on December 25.

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.

By Vafa Guliyeva