AZERBAIJANTIMES.ORG

BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 25. The open court
hearing in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of
Armenia, Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasian, Bako Sahakyan, Davit
Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others, accused
of war crimes, crimes against peace, crimes against humanity,
including planning and waging an aggressive war, genocide,
violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of
terrorism, illegal seizure of power, unlawful retention of
authority, and numerous other offenses committed as a result of
Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan, resumed on
December 25, Trend
reports.

The session was held at the Baku Military Court under the
chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov
and Anar Rzayev and reserve judge Gunel Samadova.

Each of the accused was provided with interpreters in their
preferred language and defense attorneys, ensuring full compliance
with procedural rights.

The hearing was attended by the accused, their defense lawyers,
some victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as
prosecutors representing the state prosecution.

Presiding judge Zeynal Aghayev stated that the court proceedings
continue with final statements from the accused.

During the hearing, defendant Levon Mnatsakanyan continued his
final statement.

In his statement, the defendant said that he does not agree with
the charges brought against him. “I don't consider myself guilty of
any of the charges brought against me,” he said.

He said that he was retracting the statements he had made during
the preliminary investigation and asked the court, when delivering
its decision, to take into account only what he had said during the
court hearings.

Mnatsakanyan thanked the court for providing him with the
opportunity to fully express his views.

He submitted to the court his statement, delivered over three
days, a 51-page text, to be added to the court records.

After that, the defendant Arkadi Gukasyan delivered his final
statement.

Gukasyan thanked his lawyers for their principled stance and for
properly defending him.

“I would especially like to thank them for their correct
approach to the case to uncover the truth, as well as for their
humane attitude,” the defendant said.

He expressed disagreement with the evidence presented by the
prosecution and voiced his counterarguments.

The defendant said that the prosecution had portrayed his work
at the Soviet Karabakh newspaper as a crime, which he does not
agree with. He explained that he was one of four deputy editors of
the newspaper and worked as the deputy editor responsible for
translation into Russian. He added that at that time, 16 employees
were under his supervision. The defendant stated that he does not
consider the newspaper’s activities to be criminal.

He said that he left 'big politics' in 2007 and never returned
to it.

Gukasyan said that he doesn't consider himself guilty of any of
the charges brought against him.

Then the defendant Bako Sahakyan delivered his final statement.
In his speech, Sahakyan thanked both of his defense attorneys.

“I'm grateful to them for their professionalism and humane
attitude. The attitude of both lawyers toward this indictment can
be assessed as being of a very high professional and legal
standard,” he said.

In his statement, he presented his counterarguments to the
claims made by the prosecution.

Besides, he commented on the prosecution’s portrayal of them as
a criminal group.

“There was no criminal organization, and there could not have
been one,” the accused explained.

The defendant also spoke about his participation in the
occupation of Shusha, saying: “When the court investigation began,
I told my lawyer that yes, there is an episode related to my
participation in Shusha (referring to participation in the
occupation of Shusha – ed.), and I cannot hide this from the
court,” he added.

The court proceedings will resume on December 26.

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 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 additional articles.