Victims speak out in criminal trial against Armenian military leaders PHOTO

On July 28, an open court hearing continued in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others. They stand accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes - including the preparation and conduct of aggressive war - genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, the forcible seizure and retention of power, and other serious offenses stemming from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.

The hearing, held at the Baku Military Court under the presidency of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (Reserve Judge Gunel Samadova), ensured that each defendant was provided with an interpreter in their preferred language and defense counsel, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The session was attended by the accused, their legal representatives, several victims, their legal successors or representatives, and state prosecutors.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev introduced the members of the judicial panel, prosecutors, interpreters, and others to victims participating for the first time, explaining their rights and obligations under the law.

Victim Tahir Mahmudov testified that on July 21, 2021, he was seriously injured in a mine explosion in the Khojaly district, adding that at the time, he was employed as a security guard for a local company.

In his testimony, Jumshud Gahramanov mentioned that his village of Jojug Marjanli in the Jabrayil district, where he lived, was regularly subjected to artillery fire by the Armenian armed forces during the 2020 44-day Patriotic War. On October 1, 2020, when a shell fell into his backyard, causing damage to their house and the loss of their cattle. Responding to questions from public prosecutor Fuad Musayev, Gahramanov said that other houses were also damaged during the shelling, adding that the resident of the village Hilal Haziyev was also injured.

In his testimony, victim Hilal Haziyev confirmed what J. Gahramanov said, noting that on September 28, 2020, he sustained a shrapnel wound to the face in the village of Jojug Marjanli.

Guloglan Mirzaliyev testified that he was injured in a mine explosion in Jojug Marjanli village of the Jabrayil district in February 2021. “My ankle sustained a triple fracture,” he added.

Ramil Farhadov stated that during the Patriotic War, his house in the village of Jojug Marjanli was hit by a shell. He emphasized that there were no Azerbaijani Army armed formations present in the village, and no fire was directed towards Armenian armed forces from Jojug Marjanli.

Elnur Amiraslanov testified that he sustained a bullet wound due to a provocation by Armenian armed forces while serving in the military in Tartar in 2018.

In his testimony, Mirhasan Huseynov noted that he was wounded by shrapnel due to an artillery fire in the Lachin direction on October 26 during the Patriotic War. In response to questions from public prosecutor Tarana Mammadova, he stated that approximately 15 Azerbaijanis were injured in the incident.

Aqshin Huseynov reported being injured when Armenian armed forces opened mortar fire during the clashes in the village of Gizilhajili, Gazakh district, on June 8, 1992. In response to questions from Nasir Bayramov, head of the Prosecutor General’s Department for Public Prosecution, Huseynov said that during the incident two other individuals sustained injuries, and Tahir Yunisov was killed.

Kamil Huseynov testified that he was wounded by gunfire during the Patriotic War - on September 28, 2020, in the direction of the Chayli village of Tartar. In response to questions from Vusal Aliyev, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, Huseynov mentioned that Armenian armed forces opened fire from mortars, automatic weapons and machine guns at that time.

Parviz Najafov stated that while working as a company employee on a road in Aghdam, he was injured after stepping on an anti-personnel mine on October 8, 2022.

Bakhtiyar Mammadov recounted being captured in the village of Galaychilar in the Aghdam district, in May 1993. He was held in captivity for three years. Responding to the questions from public prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev, the victim stressed that he was held in Shusha, Khankendi and other areas during his captivity. In his captivity, he was also subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment, including various forms of torture.

In their testimonies, Sabir Hagverdiyev, Idyal Allahverdiyev, Murad Bannayev, Ozal Ismayilov, Ramin Afandiyev, Orkhan Salifov, Aghasif Hamidov, Huseyn Javadov, Parviz Hasanov underlined that they were wounded by gunfire from Armenian armed forces during the 2020 Patriotic War.

Victim Amin Musayev reported receiving a gunshot and being captured by Armenian armed forces during the 2020 Patriotic War. He also recounted being tortured every day in captivity.

In his testimony, Musayev said he was wounded on November 8 in the area between the cities of Shusha and Khankendi, adding that he was captured on November 11. While being captured, Amin Musayev stated that he was struck in the forehead with a rifle butt after responding to indecent expressions. He lost consciousness from subsequent beatings in the car he was forced into and later learned he had been taken to Yerevan.

Noting that he was wounded in the leg, Amin Musayev further testified about the deliberate medical mistreatment he endured. He mentioned that when Armenian forces cleaned his injured foot in captivity, they intentionally inflicted pain to torture him. He explained that proper medical procedure would have involved inserting a drainage tube. Instead, they forcefully and painfully cleaned the inside of his wound manually. He recounted that their violence escalated with his cries, and they even poured hot water on him up to his neck.

Amin Musayev was handed over to Azerbaijan on December 14.

Responding to the accused, David Babayan, why he was not taken away by his fellow servicemen between November 8 and 11. A. Musayev said, "My comrades were killed. When I was wounded, I lost consciousness. My surviving comrades thought I was also killed. During the war, those killed and wounded could not be taken out immediately." In response to a separate question from D. Babayan, Musayev said the captivity in Armenia took a toll on his health.

Khayal Mammadov recounted being wounded on September 12, 2022, in Khojavand as a result of fire opened by the remnants of Armenian armed forces and illegal Armenian armed detachments.

Emin Gushchiyev stated that he was also wounded by gunfire from Armenia on May 10, 2023, in Kalbajar.

Bekir Karimov recounted being taken hostage on March 24, 1992, while working in an apple orchard in the Aghstafa district. Five other Azerbaijanis were taken hostage with him. They were initially transported to the Berd district before being taken to Yerevan city. During their captivity, they were subjected to beatings, verbal abuse, and torture.

Hasan Hasanov testified that he was taken hostage with B. Karimov and was released a week later.

In his testimony, Mahammad Bayramov emphasized that he was taken hostage together with B. Karimov and H. Hasanov, adding that while in captivity, an Armenian soldier cut off part of his ear with a knife.

Sahib Baghirov recounted being captured by Armenian armed forces in 1995. He was subjected to beatings and torture in captivity, with seven of his teeth and two of his fingernails pulled out. A year later, he was handed over to the Azerbaijani side.

In their testimonies, civilians - Fuad Gurbanli, Elnur Zulfugarov, Gurban Gurbanov, Ilham Ahmadov, Samir Gasimov, Fagan Mustafayev, Nijat Bakhishov – mentioned that they were injured in missile attacks carried out by Armenian armed forces into the Bara district on October 28, during the Patriotic War.

Alyar Ojagverdiyev noted that he was wounded twice - on December 13, 2020 and January 13, 2021 – in a mine explosion. He was engaged in road construction as an employee of the road department.

Agha Safaraliyev reported being wounded in 1993 and Faig Namazov in 1992 by gunfire during the battles for Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories.

Seymur Mammadov stated that he was wounded on September 28 during the Patriotic War, a result of artillery fire from Armenian armed forces. Brothers Khaliq and Elshan Abbasov, who were with him during the incident, were killed, and Faig Mahmudov was also injured.

In his testimony, Asad Rustamov mentioned that on March 19, 2016, he was shot by Armenian armed forces while travelling as a civilian by a car in the village of Gapanli, Tartar district.

In their testimonies, victims - Sabir Latifov from Khojavand, Oruj Rustamov from Jabrayil, Tazagul Hamzayeva from Zangilan, Sari Bakhishov from Kalbajar district, underlined that they were expelled from the district, and that their homes and properties remained in the territories occupied by Armenian armed forces at that time.

The victims also responded to questions from the defendants, their defense lawyers, and own representatives.

The court proceedings are set to continue on July 31.

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 other articles.