BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 13. Ruben Vardanyan refused the services of an Azerbaijani lawyer in court, Trend reports.
Ruben Vardanyan announced that he was refusing to use the services of the state-appointed defense attorney, Azer Maharramov, and that his rights would now be defended by his lawyer Avraam Berman.
The prosecution and the victim’s representative did not object to the motion.
After deliberation, the court granted the motion.
It should be noted that Ruben Vardanyan is accused of committing acts under Articles 100 (planning and waging a war of aggression), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary activity), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during an armed conflict), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
He is also accused of committing acts stipulated under Articles 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation safety), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law), 318 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) and other articles of the Criminal Code.