Trial in Baku examines evidence of 1988–1989 Armenian atrocities against Azerbaijanis

The trial at the Baku Military Court against Armenian citizens accused of grave crimes continued today, September 8, with the examination of new evidence, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

One of the documents reviewed concerned the shooting of a GAZ-21 car belonging to Azerbaijanis on February 22, 1988. Passengers in the vehicle included L.F. Mammadov, A.M. Abdullayev, A.M. Khudiyev, Sh.B. Salmanova and her child.

The court also studied materials related to the acquisition and storage of firearms and explosives by Armen Grigoryevich Sargsyan and Artur Ashotovich Sayan, as well as evidence of mass unrest in Shusha and Khankendi.

Testifying as a witness, victim Zenfira Babur gizi Abbasova recounted that she lived in Khankendi with her two sons and faced daily threats from Armenians in 1988. She said that slogans such as “Down with Azerbaijanis, long live the Armenian people” were shouted in the city, while Armenians threatened to burn Azerbaijani homes and demanded that families leave. Abbasova added that her neighbour, Slavik Ayrapetyan, repeatedly insulted and threatened her, pressuring her to move out. On September 18, 1988, her house was destroyed.

Other evidence examined concerned the mass disturbances of September 18–19, 1988, in Shusha, Khankendi, and Khojaly, including the arson of Azerbaijani homes and apartments in Khankendi.

The court also reviewed documents relating to the wounding of residents in Sharur district on November 22, 1988, the injury of three people during an armed attack on the Sadarak district, the burning of the Sharur water reservoir administration, a criminal case against Khankendi Pedagogical Institute student Norayr Eduardovich Danielyan, the murder of Alakbar Pasha oglu Gurbanov on January 10, 1989, the eviction of Khankendi resident Ofeliya Yusif gizi Asadova from her apartment, the wounding of Azerbaijanis during the interception of a convoy in Aghdara, gross violations of public order in Khankendi, the shelling of Barkhudarli village in Gazakh district, and the planting of explosives on a road in Gunnut village, Sharur district.

The ongoing trial in Baku involves Armenian citizens charged with crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the planning and waging of aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, violent seizure and retention of power, and other serious offences.

By Khagan Isayev