Harrowing testimonies from Ganja rocket attack, frontline battles heard in Baku war crimes trial Azerbaijani victims testify against Armenian defendants / PHOTO

The Baku Military Court resumed proceedings in the ongoing trial of several Armenian citizens, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Lyova Mnatsakanyan, and others, who are accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as preparation and conduct of a war of aggression, acts of genocide, violation of the laws and customs of warfare, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power and numerous other crimes as a result of Armenia's military aggression.

The hearings were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel consisting of Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter into the language of their choice, as well as legal counsel to ensure a fair trial, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The courtroom heard harrowing testimonies from victims and their legal successors, offering a vivid account of the human toll wrought by the conflict.

Among them, Samir Yusifov, a paramedic wounded on September 13, 2022, during mortar shelling in Kalbajar while evacuating casualties, recalled the perilous circumstances of his injury. His vehicle bore medical insignia, underscoring the tragic breach of war conventions.

Akifa Bayramova recounted the traumatic destruction of her home in Ganja at approximately 2:00 a.m. on October 11, 2020, when a missile fired by Armenian forces struck the city during the 44-day Patriotic War. She sustained injuries in the attack and poignantly revealed, “My grandson was pulled from under the rubble; he is still undergoing treatment,” underscoring the enduring human suffering.

Sevinj Hasanova also testified, detailing how she and her relatives were injured on October 5, 2020, due to Armenian artillery shelling while she was visiting her brother in Goranboy amid the conflict.

Further testimonies came from Azerbaijani servicemen—including Gurban Gurbanov, Huseynbaba Sayilli, Khazri Ahmadov, Aliyar Mammadov, and others—who were wounded between September 12 and 14, 2022, in Kalbajar while repelling Armenian provocations in the Jermukh direction. They attested to the presence of additional wounded and fallen comrades, with Jeyhun Khankishiyev emphasizing the persistent hostilities: “The enemy could not come to terms with the defeat in 2020 and sought to capture the heights.”

Similarly, Saleh Hasanov, Mehdi Yusifov, Safa Mammadov, Alish Shamiyev, Farid Ilyaszada, and Sanan Mirzaliyev reported injuries sustained during the night of September 12-13, 2022, in Zangilan while repelling Armenian provocations, noting the continued sacrifice among Azerbaijani forces.

Other victims recounted injuries from earlier conflicts: Yusif Mammadov was wounded on April 3, 2015, by sniper fire during a provocation in the Fuzuli-Khojavand direction; Shahin Garayev suffered injuries from a mine explosion in November 2021 in Tap Garagoyunlu village, Goranboy district; and Ruhin Valiyev was wounded during mine-clearing operations in Jabrayil in June 2022.

The court proceedings are scheduled to resume on August 4, as the trial continues to uncover the full scope of the allegations and testimonies surrounding this protracted conflict.

By Vafa Guliyeva