Criminal case against Karabakh separatist leaders sent to the court

The criminal case against the leaders of Karabakh separatists has been sent to the Baku Military Court for consideration.

According to the statement of the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan, 1,389 criminal cases have been combined into one proceeding. They concern crimes committed since October 1987 in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by illegal armed formations of the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic".

Based on the collected evidence, 15 people were brought to criminal responsibility for 2,548 episodes: Gukasyan Arkady Arshavirovich, Harutyunyan Arayik Vladimirovich, Saakyan Bako Saakovich, Ishkhanyan David Rubeni, Babayan David Kimovich, Mnatsakanyan Leva Genirikhi, Manukyan David Azati, Martirosyan Gagik Grigori, Pashayan Melkiset Vladimiri, Allahverdiyan David Nelsoni, Stepanyan Gurgen Gomerosi, Balayan Levon Romiki, Babayan Madat Arakelovich, Beglaryan Vasili Ivani and Ghazaryan Eric Roberti.

They were charged under the following articles: 100 (planning, initiation and waging an aggressive war); 102 (attack on individuals and organizations under international protection); 103 (genocide); 105 (destruction of the population); 106 (slavery); 107 (deportation of the population or forced displacement); 109 (persecution); 110 (forcible extermination of the population); 112 (deprivation of liberty in violation of international norms); 113 (torture); 114 (mercenarism); 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war); 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts); 118 (looting); 120 (deliberate killing of people); 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); 214 (terrorism); 214-1 (financing of terrorism); 218 (illegal border crossing); 228 (illegal arms trafficking); 270-1 (creating threats to aviation security); 277 (attempted assassination of a statesman); 278 (violent seizure of power); 279 (creation of illegal armed formations) and other articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

 During the preliminary investigation and after its completion, the petitions and complaints of the accused were considered in accordance with the requirements of the criminal procedure legislation and appropriate decisions were made.

The criminal case against other persons accused of committing these crimes has been separated into a separate proceeding and is ongoing.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan has offered the relevant authorities of Armenia to cooperate due to the presence of many other persons suspected of these crimes, as well as witnesses, on its territory. The indictment for the criminal case was approved by the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan on December 16, 2024 and sent for consideration to the relevant Baku Military Court, the report says.

It should be noted that the name of Ruben Vardanyan, the former "state minister of Kharabakh", is not mentioned in the report. His case is pending consideration by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan. According to his lawyers, 45 charges of serious crimes have been brought against him. The materials of his case comprise 100 volumes.