Baku: On August 11, the Baku Military Court continued open hearings on the criminal cases against several Armenian citizens, including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, and Levon Mnatsakanyan, among others. The defendants are charged with crimes related to peace and humanity, war crimes, and terrorism stemming from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the trial is overseen by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev, and reserve judge Gunel Samadova. The court ensured that each defendant was provided with legal counsel and an interpreter in their preferred language. The session was attended by the accused, their lawyers, multiple victims, their legal heirs or representatives, and state prosecutors.
Victims and their families provided harrowing testimonies of the violence and atrocities they endured. Gunel Suleymanova, the mother of Rasul Suleymanli, testified that her son was killed by Armenian armed forces during the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020. Sanubar Akbarova also recounted the killing of her son Hasan Akbarov during the same conflict.
Aybaniz Orujova shared her ordeal during the Khojaly massacre in 1992, where she and her family were captured and tortured. She detailed how they were held in captivity, where she faced severe torture, and threats were made to her children’s lives. Agil Ahmadov and Hafiza Safarova also shared their experiences of capture, torture, and survival during the conflict.
Additional testimonies were provided by victims of mine explosions and other wartime atrocities. Sunay Adigozalov and Asef Khudiyev recounted their injuries from mine explosions planted by Armenian forces. Emin Bakhshaliyev and Nuraddin Yolchuyev testified about the torture they endured while in captivity, including beatings and electric shocks.
The trial also addressed the displacement and destruction caused by the conflict. Residents of the Tartar district, including Yadigar Safarov, Mushfig Gurbanov, and Khasay Ibrahimov, emphasized the damage to their homes from artillery strikes by Armenian forces. Many other victims shared their experiences of being forcibly displaced from their homes across various districts.
The court proceedings will continue on August 14. The criminal case involves fifteen defendants of Armenian origin accused of numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state on Azerbaijani territory. These crimes were allegedly committed under the leadership and participation of Armenian officials and armed forces, violating domestic and international legal norms.