Baku: The court proceedings concerning Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen charged with multiple serious offenses under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, have reached a pivotal stage at the Baku Military Court. Accusations against Vardanyan encompass crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, and the financing of terrorism. The open court hearing was overseen by Judge Zeynal Agayev, assisted by judges Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov, with Gunel Samedova as the reserve judge. Vardanyan was provided with a Russian interpreter and a state-appointed defense lawyer.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, during the proceedings, defense lawyer Emil Babishov presented two motions. The first motion requested the presence of a representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to clarify Vardanyan’s procedural status, due to their visits during his detention. The prosecution, represented by Senior Assistant Vusal Aliyev, argued that the defendant’s procedural status was already clear and that the testimony of an ICRC representative would offer no further clarification. The court denied the motion, citing its irrelevance and lack of evidentiary value.
The second motion involved questioning an investigator regarding video recordings of inspections related to Vardanyan’s office and residence. Babishov argued that the footage required clarification. However, the prosecution maintained that the grounds for questioning an investigator were not met, leading to the court’s rejection of the motion, in accordance with Article 95 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Following the resolution of these motions, Judge Agayev inquired about concluding the judicial investigation. Both parties agreed to proceed, and the prosecutors requested time to prepare their oral arguments. The next hearing is scheduled for December 18.
Ruben Vardanyan faces a comprehensive list of charges, including Article 100.1 and 100.2 for war aggression, Article 107 for deportation, and Article 214-1 for financing terrorism, among others. These charges paint a complex legal challenge in the ongoing trial.