Baku, October 28, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Baku Military Court on October 27 continued open hearings on the criminal cases against several citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, genocide, and other serious offenses resulting from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.
The proceedings, chaired by Judge Zeynal Aghayev with Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), involved defendants including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others. Interpreters and defense lawyers were provided for each accused individual.
The session was attended by the accused, their legal representatives, several victims and their legal heirs, as well as state prosecutors. During the hearing, statements from victims and their families were presented, detailing severe human rights violations and atrocities committed during Armenia’s military operations in Azerbaijani territories.
Victims recounted incidents of shelling, torture, captivity, and loss of life. Among them, testimonies described cases of civilians injured by mines and artillery fire in the districts of Zangilan, Aghdam, and Aghdara, as well as accounts of killings, abductions, and torture in Khojavend, Kalbajar, and Shusha between 1992 and 1995.
Some witnesses described being held captive under inhumane conditions, subjected to physical abuse, and deprived of medical care. Others recounted the deaths of family members during the conflicts of the early 1990s and subsequent hostilities in 2020 and 2023.
Following the presentation of victim testimonies, the court examined evidence submitted by defense lawyers representing Arayik Harutyunyan. The materials included copies of his birth certificate, Armenian passport, and educational records, as well as a published article and investigative protocol.
During the session, questions were raised about discrepancies in Harutyunyan’s official documents, particularly regarding the designation of his birthplace and passport code “070,” which indicated residency in the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh regime.” Prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev questioned whether these documents implied Armenia’s claim over Karabakh territory. The accused declined to provide a direct response.
The court announced that the hearings would resume on October 30.
According to the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office, fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are charged under multiple articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including those pertaining to planning and waging a war of aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, terrorism, and the forcible seizure and retention of power.
The charges stem from acts committed under the direct leadership and participation of former Armenian state and military officials, including Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Vazgen Sargsyan, Samvel Babayan, and others.
The ongoing trial represents one of the most comprehensive judicial proceedings addressing crimes committed during Armenia’s military occupation of Azerbaijani territories, as Baku seeks to ensure accountability for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
