Trial Continues at Baku Military Court Against Armenian Citizens Accused of Crimes

On December 11, the trial at the Baku Military Court continued regarding Armenian citizens accused of criminal activities.

According to Azernews, during the court session, the parties were given the opportunity to exercise their right of reply.

Vusal Aliyev, Chief Assistant to the Prosecutor General, began his remarks by addressing the part of the case concerning the disputed roles of the defendants within a criminal organization. He recalled that, according to the defense, a criminal organization is generally formed to commit unlawful acts based on international criminal law practices.

In response, the prosecutor defending the state emphasized that the evidence examined during the trial confirmed that several years before the outbreak of the First Garabagh War, the mentioned criminal groups had already begun to form. Aliyev stated:

“It is true that the evidence confirmed that these groups were indeed supported and armed by the leadership of Armenia. However, we later observed that the leaders and members of these armed groups held significant political and military positions both in the so-called administration established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and in Armenia itself. In other words, these groups were not random or independent collectives; they eventually became integral parts of the criminal army that occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Regarding the defendants, for example, David Manukyan was a member of the Shusha Battalion, and Davit Ishkhanyan served as commander of the ‘28th Martuni’ Battalion. These and other battalions were essentially the reorganized, more structured, and militarized versions of the previously mentioned illegal groups.”

It should be noted that the trial of Armenian citizens continues on charges including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, preparation and execution of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism and financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, maintaining power through force, and numerous other offenses resulting from Armenia’s military aggression.