BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 8. The trial of
Armenian citizen Ruben Vardanyan, accused under articles of the
Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan related to crimes
against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, financing of
terrorism and other serious crimes, continued on December 8,
Trend reports.


The open court session at the Baku Military Court was held under
the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with judges Anar Rzayev
and Jamal Ramazanov on the panel (reserve judge Gunel Samadova).
The accused was provided with an interpreter in Russian, the
language he understands, as well as a state-funded defence
lawyer.


Judge Zeynal Aghayev introduced the panel of judges, the
prosecutors upholding the state accusation, the interpreters and
others to the victims and legal successors of victims participating
for the first time and explained their statutory rights and
obligations.


After that, the testimonies of the victims were heard.







The next court hearing has been scheduled for December 9.


Ruben Vardanyan faces multiple charges under the Criminal Code
of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including 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
norms during an 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, 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 not provided for by law), and 318.2
(illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of
Azerbaijan).