The trial in the case of former Artsakh officials starts today in Baku

The trial in the case of the former military and political leaders of Nagorno Karabakh starts today in Baku.

Azerbaijani mass media note that the trial will be held in Baku Military Court presided over by Judge Zeinal Aghayev.

It is noted that 15 Armenians: Arkady Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Alaverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasili Beglaryan, Eric Ghazaryan, 2,000 charges have been brought against him with 548 episodes.

Baku notes that the criminal case regarding other persons accused of committing multiple crimes has been separated and will be examined in a separate proceeding and that the preliminary investigation in this case is ongoing.

Baku announces that it invites Armenia to cooperate, noting that “they have serious grounds that many persons related to this investigation, as well as witnesses, are in the territory of Armenia.”

Baku made this proposal earlier, when it announced that the accused former officials of Artsakh were sent to the military court. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia did not comment on this proposal of Azerbaijan.

The trial in the case of Ruben Vardanyan, the former Minister of State of Artsakh, also starts today. This case will also be examined in the military court of Baku, presided over by judge Zeinal Aghayev.

Ahead of the trial, Ruben Vardanyan announced the day before yesterday that his lawyer and translator were forced to sign documents in retrospect, including false records of interrogations that did not take place.

As a result of Azerbaijan’s military attack on Artsakh on September 19, 2023, 16 people were captured, including former Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Davit Ishkhanyan, former Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan, former Commander of the Defense Army Levon Mnatsakanyan. , former Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces Davit Manukyan and former Foreign Minister Davit Babayan.

Baku has brought serious charges against the former officials of Artsakh, from terrorism to the formation of illegal armed groups.

23 Armenians are still held in Azerbaijani prisons.

A number of protest actions are planned in Yerevan today in defense of the former leaders of Artsakh.