Documents related to Armenian armed forces' shelling of civilians and civilian facilities in violation of international humanitarian law during April battles examined in court

The open court hearing session regarding criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia—Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Gukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others—who are accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, forcible retention of power, and numerous other crimes, resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on September 29.

The trial, held at the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), ensured that all accused persons were provided with translators in their preferred language and defense lawyers.

The session was attended by the accused, their defense attorneys, some of the victims, their legal heirs and representatives, as well as prosecutors defending the state’s charges.

The open court hearing continued with the announcement of documents related to the criminal case.

One of the announced documents detailed episodes of bodily harm inflicted on civilians, attempted killings, and damage to property during the April 2016 fighting.

The document noted that between April 2 and 28, 2016, the Armenian armed forces committed numerous criminal acts without military necessity, including heavy shelling with large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenades, and artillery at undefended settlements in Azerbaijan’s Aghdam, Terter, Goranboy, Fizuli, and Aghjabedi districts, as well as at educational and medical institutions and civilians not participating in the fighting.

During the examination of the documents, photos from the crime scenes were also displayed.

The court also reviewed documents on the shelling of the village of Eskipara in Terter with a P-4 122mm artillery projectile containing white phosphorus, the murders of Chingiz Salman oghlu Gurbanov (posthumously awarded the title of “National Hero of Azerbaijan”) and Huseyn Zakir oghlu Akberli, as well as the economic exploitation and other crimes committed in the occupied territories.

Another document announced was related to the murder of Allahverdiyeva Sahiba Idris gizi and other facts. It was mentioned that as a result of the shelling of the Alkhanli village of the Fuzuli district by the Armenian armed forces’ units in 2017 from 73-millimeter anti-tank mortars in violation of international humanitarian law during the armed conflict, with the intention of national, racial, religious enmity or hostility, Allahverdiyeva Sahiba Idris gizi, born in 1966, and her granddaughter Guliyeva Zahra Elnur gizi, born in 2016, died from shrapnel wounds, and Guliyeva Selminaz Iltifat gizi, born in 1965, received multiple shrapnel wounds.

During the trial, documents were also presented regarding the fact of the shelling of the house of Aliyev Yusif Musa oglu, a resident of the Gapanli village of the Tartar district, the criminal facts of the employees of the Armenian National Security Service named Hovik and Sasun Grigoryan, the murder of Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzayev and others while preventing a provocation by the Armenian armed forces in the direction of the state border in the Tovuz district (Tovuz battles - ed.), as well as attempted murder, the mass murder committed in the village of Aghdaban of the Kalbajar district, as well as the facts of the attack on Ganja city with missiles during the Patriotic War.

Then, documents on the murder and injury of Azerbaijani citizens and other facts were announced.

Documents were also examined regarding the fact that Samidli Babek Matlab, Ismayilov Javad Asif, Mukhtarov Sarkhan Ilgar, Javadov Rashad Farzali and others were killed as a result of the mine explosion, as well as the injuries of Safarov Majid Jalil, Novruzov Muslim Mursel and Bozuyev Yalchin Baylar, Valiyev Karim Tofig, Bahramli Tural Aghazade and Mahmudov Javad Aziz, Hasanov Alihasan Tumar, Azizli Nuraddin Gurbaddin, Hajizade Ruhid Alim, Ziyadov Rustam Ali and Alakbarov Sahil Dilsuz and others.

The examination of the documents was accompanied by relevant photos from the criminal cases.

The court proceedings will continue on October 2.

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 additional articles.