Vardanyan’s trial advances with testimonies from victims of Armenian military provocations

The trial of Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen facing multiple charges including torture, mercenarism, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other articles of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, continued today at the Baku Military Court.

The open hearings were presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, and a panel of judges consisting of Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov (reserve judge Gunel Samadova). The accused was provided with an interpreter in the language of his choice, i.e. Russian, as well as lawyers for his defense, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The victim, Sohbat Shukurov, head of the logistics department of the military unit of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence, stationed in Kalbajar district, gave his testimony. Shukurov stated that although his duty station was far from the line of contact with the Armenian armed forces, he sustained injuries of varying severity due to mortar fire during a military provocation by the Armenian Armed Forces.

Additionally, Samir Yusifov, a paramedic from the medical unit of the military unit of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defence, testified that he too was injured during the mortar shelling by the Armenian Armed Forces. Yusifov explained that the incident occurred when he was attempting to evacuate the bodies of Azerbaijani servicemen who had been killed during the suppression of a large-scale provocation by the Armenian forces in the Kalbajar district.

Other victims, including Samir Karimov, Orkhan Najafov, Aliyar Mammadov, Ali Garazada, Gurban Gurbanov, Huseynbala Sayyilli, Rahman Gasimov, Ulvi Musayev, Ruslan Aliyev, Bakhtiyar Salmanov, Ariz Gahramanov, Azar Abdullayev, Tofig Abishov, Asif Mikayilli, Gasim Garibov, Anar Nabiyev, Ehtiram Samadov, Rashmi Humbatov, Jeyhun Rzaguliyev, Yunis Abdiyev, Dilgam Safarov, Ahmad Ahmadzada, and others, stated that although they were familiar with Ruben Vardanyan from the media and social networks, they did not know him personally. They further testified that during their military service in the Kalbajar and Aghdam districts, they were wounded of varying degrees of severity due to shelling from various weapons, including sniper rifles and mortar shells, during the military provocations by Armenia.

The forensic medical examination reports of the victims were then read out during the session.

The next court hearing is scheduled for April 1.

To recap, Ruben Vardanyan is charged with crimes under Articles 100.1, 100.2 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of aggression), 107 (deportation and forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (forcible disappearance of persons), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114.1 (mercenary activity), 115.2 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116.0.1, 116.0.2, 116.0.10, 116.0.11, 116.0.16, 116.0.18 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict), 120.2.1, 120.2.3, 120.2.4, 120.2.7, 120.2.11, 120.2.12 (intentional murder), 29,120.2.1, 29,120.2.3, 29,120.2.4, 29,120.2.7, 29,120.2.11, 29,120.2.12 (attempted intentional murder), 192.3.1 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214.2.1, 214.2.3, 214.2.4 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing of terrorism), 218.1, 218.2 (creation of a criminal group), 228.3 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of firearms, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1.2, 270-1.4 (acts threatening aviation safety), 278.1 (forcible seizure or retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279.1, 279.2, 279.3 (creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law) and 318.2 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan).

By Vafa Guliyeva