Ex-commander of Armenian forces in Garabagh to serve prison sentence

Former commander of the Armenian occupying forces in Garabagh, Jalal Harutyunyan, will finally serve his prison sentence, Azernews reports citing Armenian media.

According to the information, Armenia’s Court of Cassation has refused to review the lawyers’ appeal and upheld the decision of the Court of Appeals. As a result, the previously issued sentence of 5.5 years in prison for the general has officially come into force.

Harutyunyan had earlier been found guilty of negligence under martial law in a high-profile criminal case initiated in 2022, connected to certain episodes of the 44-day war. The case drew significant public attention as it exposed shortcomings in Armenia’s military leadership during the conflict.

In August 2025, lawyers representing the heirs of Armenian soldiers who died due to Harutyunyan’s negligence claimed that the general had been attempting to evade punishment, deliberately avoiding court documents and skipping hearings to delay the process.

With the latest court ruling, his attempts to escape accountability have come to an end.