BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 17. The trial in the case of Armenians accused of war crimes starts today in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
The preparatory session of the court on the criminal case is scheduled for today.
The indictment in the criminal case was approved by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan on December 16 and submitted to the Baku Military Court for consideration on the merits. The case was transferred to the Baku Military Court for the proceedings of the judge, chairman of the court, Zeynal Aghayev.
The press service of the General Prosecutor's Office disseminated information on sending to court the criminal case on illegal actions committed against the Republic of Azerbaijan by the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” and its illegal armed formations established by the Republic of Armenia in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the full support of the Republic of Armenia and its armed forces.
According to the information, the Investigation Department of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan investigated the criminal case on the facts of committing an act of aggression against the Republic of Azerbaijan and its people, occupation, genocide, other crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, financing of terrorism, and other numerous crimes.
Meanwhile, it is noted that on May 2, 2024, by the decision of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 1389 criminal cases were investigated in the Prosecutor General's Office and other investigative bodies of the country in connection with crimes committed between October 1987 and April 22, 2024, which were merged into one proceeding. The investigation was conducted by the investigative staff of the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Customs Committee, and the Military Prosecutor's Office under the direction of the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Based on the collected reliable evidence, a total of 15 persons were brought as defendants for crimes committed by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia and illegal armed groups in 2,548 episodes. The following persons: Arkady Ghukasyan, Araik Harutyunyan, Bako Saakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Leva Mnatsakanyan, Davit Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Allahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasiliy Beglaryan, and Eric Ghazaryan are charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the periods of their participation in the criminal acts: 100 (planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression), 102 (attacking persons or institutions which enjoy international protection ), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of population), 106 (slavery), 107 (deportation or forcible transfer of population), 109 (persecution), 110 (forcible detention of a person), 112 (deprivation of liberty in violation of international law ), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenarism), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts), 118 (war looting), 120 (premeditated murder), 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing of terrorism), 218 (organization of a criminal association (criminal organization), 228 (unlawful acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of firearms, component parts thereof, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices), 270-1 (acts endangering aviation safety), 277 (attempt on the life of a State or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure of power or forcible retention of power or forcible change of the constitutional order of the State), 279 (establishment of armed formations or groups not provided for by law) and other articles. Each of the accused is provided with a defense, the use of a language he or she knows, and other procedural rights.
The defendants were also provided with a lawyer.
On the basis of a petition by the investigative body and a submission by the procurator in charge of the procedural management of the preliminary investigation, a preventive measure of restraint in the form of arrest was imposed on them by court decisions.
The applications and complaints filed by the accused both during the preliminary investigation and after its completion were considered following the requirements of criminal procedural law, and appropriate decisions were taken. The accused in the case and other participants in the criminal proceedings were informed of the end of the preliminary investigation and familiarized with all the materials of the criminal case.
At the same time, the criminal case against other persons accused of committing numerous crimes is being separated, and the preliminary investigation is continuing.
The Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan invites the competent authorities of the Republic of Armenia to cooperate, referring to the existence of serious grounds, such as the stay in the territory of Armenia of numerous persons suspected in this case, as well as witnesses.
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