Baku: On July 21, the Baku Court of Appeal continued hearings on the appeals filed by citizens of the Republic of Armenia - Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others. They were convicted by the Baku Military Court of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, and forcible seizure of power, resulting from Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan.
According to Azeri-Press news agency, the court session was presided over by Judge Elmar Rahimov, with Judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva participating in the panel. Judge Ali Mammadov served as the reserve judge. The court ensured that the appellants were provided with interpreters in Armenian and Russian, as well as legal counsel to guarantee their right to defense.
The hearing was attended by representatives of the victims and prosecutors representing the state prosecution, including Abbas Abbasli, Head of the Department for the Maintenance of Public Prosecution in the Courts of Appeal at the Prosecutor General's Office, along with prosecutors Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova. The presiding judge informed that the defense's motion for a confidential meeting with the accused had been considered and resolved.
The defense and representatives of the victims had already delivered their statements. In accordance with the procedural order, the public prosecutor presented the arguments for the prosecution. Prosecutors Abbas Abbasli, Anar Alakbarov, and Sevinj Gasimova provided a detailed analysis of the outcomes of the court investigation conducted in the first instance court and the evidence collected in the case.
The prosecutors stated that all evidence in the criminal case had been examined comprehensively in the first instance court. The circumstances were confirmed by testimonies of the victims and witnesses, forensic expert opinions, material evidence, and other documentation. They added that the evidence presented during the judicial investigation confirms the validity of the charges, showing that the conclusions of the court of first instance are consistent with the evidence.
The next court hearing is scheduled for July 24.
According to the verdict issued by the Baku Military Court on February 5, 2026, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment. Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan received 20-year sentences; Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan, 19 years; Garik Martirosyan, 18 years; Davit Allahverdiyan and Levon Balayan, 16 years; and Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan, 15 years in prison.