Vardanyan's trial: Victim recalls Armenian armed group's attack that killed 14 Azerbaijani servicemen

The trial of Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen accused of multiple charges including torture, mercenary activity, violation of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, continued on April 29. 

During the session, victim Nurlan Baghirov stated that while serving in the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he and his fellow servicemen were attacked by remnants of the Armenian armed forces and illegal Armenian armed groups, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Baghirov said they were fired upon and targeted with hand grenades. As a result, 14 of his comrades—12 servicemen of the Internal Troops and 2 from the Ministry of Defence—were killed, and several others, including Baghirov himself, were injured.

Following the testimonies, the court also heard the forensic medical report concerning Baghirov.

To recall, 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 Khagan Isayev