BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6.Court hearings on the criminal case against Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen charged with torture, mercenary activity, violations of the laws and customs of warfare, terrorism, financing of terrorism, and other crimes under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, continued on Tuesday with testimonies from victims, Trend reports.
Victim Mehman Hasanov testified that he was deployed to the Mollalar village of the Aghdam district as an excavator driver to carry out excavation and construction work regarding the road construction.
He stated that while he was standing near the excavator, trying to launch the planned excavations, he heard the shell explosions and immediately moved to a nearby wooded area trying to find safety.
Hasanov said that he suffered injuries to his right knee when a shell exploded approximately 80 meters away, and was evacuated to the Aghdam District Central Hospital with the help of eyewitnesses.
The conclusion of the forensic medical examination conducted on the victim was also announced during the hearings.
Ruben Vardanyan faces charges under multiple articles of 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 (violations of international humanitarian law during 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).