"Nuremberg Trial" begins in Azerbaijan today

The trial of Armenians accused of war crimes begins in Azerbaijan today, APA reports.

The criminal case on illegal acts committed by the illegal armed formations of the "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" established in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, against Azerbaijan by Armenia and its instrument, directly controlled by the Armenian state, will be heard at the Baku Military Court, chaired by Judge Zeynal Agayev.

Considering that the ethnic cleansing and occupation of territories against the Azerbaijani people were carried out directly by the Armenian Armed Forces, and that the junta and military units established in the occupied territories were directly financed, armed, and controlled by Armenia, the main factor in the "Nuremberg Process" that began in Baku will be the determination of the responsibility of the Armenian state.

A criminal case was investigated by the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding the facts of an act of aggression, occupation, genocide, other crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism and financing of terrorism, and numerous other crimes committed against the Republic of Azerbaijan and its people.

On May 2, 2024, by the decision of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 1,389 criminal cases investigated by the Prosecutor General's Office and separate investigative bodies of the Republic regarding some of the crimes committed from October 1987 to April 22, 2024 were combined into one proceeding and investigated by a team led by the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, consisting of investigators from the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Customs Committee, and the Military Prosecutor's Office.

Based on the collected reliable evidence, new charges have been brought against 15 members of the criminal organization consisting of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and illegal separatist armed groups in connection with 2548 episodes. The accused individuals Arkadi Arshaviri (Arshavirovich) Ghukasyan (Ğukasyan), Harutyunyan Arayik Vladimiri (Vladimirovich), Sahakyan Bako Sahaki, Ishkhanyan Davit Rubeni, Babayan Davit Klimi (Klimovich), Mnatsakanyan Lyova Henrikhi, Manukyan Davit Azati, Martirosyan Garik Grigori, Pashayan Melikset Vladimiri, Allahverdyan Davit Nelsoni, Stepanyan Gurgen Homerosi, Balayan Levon Romiki, Babayan Madat Arakeli (Arakelovich), Beglaryan Vasili Ivani, and Ghazaryan Erik Roberti have been charged as accused persons for their involvement in a criminal organization during specific periods, under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, or waging an aggressive war), Article 102 (attacks on internationally protected persons or organizations), Article 103 (genocide), Article 105 (extermination of population), Article 106 (slavery), Article 107 (deportation or forcible transfer of population), Article 109 (persecution), Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons through violence), Article 112 (unlawful deprivation of liberty in violation of international law), Article 113 (torture), Article 114 (mercenarism), Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law norms during armed conflict), Article 118 (war looting), Article 120 (premeditated murder), Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship), Article 214 (terrorism), Article 214-1 (financing of terrorism), Article 218 (establishment of a criminal organization), Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, or carrying of firearms, their components, ammunition, explosive substances, and devices), Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security), Article 277 (attempt on the life of a state or public figure), Article 278 (forceful seizure of power and its forcible retention, forceful alteration of the state's constitutional order), Article 279 (creation of armed groups and units not provided for by law) and other articles. The rights of each accused person, including the right to defense, the use of the language they know, and other procedural rights have been ensured.

The accused individuals have been provided with lawyers.

Based on the investigative body's petition and the supervising prosecutor's submission, the court issued decisions on pre-trial detention measures for the accused.

Either during or after the preliminary investigation, petitions and complaints submitted by the defendants were reviewed per the requirements of the criminal procedure legislation, and relevant decisions were made. The defendants and other participants in the criminal process were informed about the conclusion of the preliminary investigation and given access to review all the criminal case materials.

At the same time, the criminal case regarding other individuals accused of committing numerous crimes has been separated into a distinct proceeding, and the preliminary investigation is ongoing.

This criminal case will also be heard at the Baku Military Court, presided over by Judge Zeynal Agayev.

A criminal case was investigated by the Main Investigation Department of the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding the facts of terrorism, financing of terrorism, crimes against peace and humanity against the Republic and people of Azerbaijan, war crimes, and numerous other crimes.

The joint statement of the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prosecutor General's Office stated that Vardanyan Ruben Karlenovich, a former citizen of the Russian Federation, currently a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, founder and head of the Troika Dialog company in the Russian Federation, member of the board of directors of KAMAZ OJSC in the Russian Federation, an independent director of the Volga-Dnepr group of companies in that country, and other positions, was brought as an accused under Articles 214-1, 279.3 and 318.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan on September 25, 2023 and was declared wanted. He was detained on September 27, 2023 and handed over to the investigation, and on that date, he was charged.

Based on the collected credible evidence, the accused Ruben Vardanyan was charged with participating in the creation and organization of the activities of the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” and illegal armed formations established in the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan occupied by the Republic of Armenia, a criminal association, illegal armed formations and groups, and was charged with Articles 100 (planning and waging a war of aggression), 107 (deportation or forcible transfer of the population), 109 (persecution), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during an armed conflict), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal possession of weapons, their components, and war equipment) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. A final indictment has been announced for the acts stipulated in Articles 270-1 (acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and carrying of ammunition, explosives and devices), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law), 318 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) and other articles.

During the investigation, the accused's right to defense, the right to use the language he knows and other procedural rights were ensured. The accused was provided with lawyers of his choosing, and the petitions submitted by him and his lawyers were considered by the requirements of criminal procedural legislation and appropriate decisions were made.

The accused Ruben Vardanyan and other participants in the criminal proceedings were informed about the completion of the preliminary investigation, and they were familiarized with all the materials of the criminal case, including material evidence, documents, expert opinions ,and other evidence.

The indictments in the criminal cases were sent to the Baku Military Court for consideration.