Trial of Karabakh separatists' case is heard on episodes of terrorism facts

The trial over the case of Karabakh separatists continued in Baku court complex on 11 February. Prosecutors announced a part of the indictment on the criminal case concerning the facts of massacres of Azerbaijani population and terrorism by Armenia and Armenian separatists in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Apart from the defendants, the Armenian Presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, Defence Ministers Vazgen Manukyan and Seyran Ohanyan, as well as Samvel Babayan, Vitaly Balasyan and others were also involved in the mentioned crimes.

Assistant Prosecutor General for Special Assignments Tugay Rahimli read a part of the indictment on mass expulsions and killings of Azerbaijanis in Baganis-Airim villages of Gazakh region, Malybeyli-Gushchular of Shusha region, Garadaghli of Khojavand region, Bash Guney (Bash Guneypeye) of Agdera region, Ballygaya and Gulistan of Goranboy region, Agdaban, Jomerd and Bashlibel of Kyalbajar region.

During widespread and systematic attacks, 241 people were killed, shot, burnt alive and severely injured.Then a part of the indictment regarding the facts of terrorism committed during the aggressive war was read out.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor General Vusal Aliyev said that there were 308 episodes of terrorism during 1998-2023, killing at least 449 people, including 210 military personnel and 239 civilians.There were also attempts to kill 1,729 people, including 1,013 military personnel and 716 civilians, including 17 children.

State prosecutors further announced specific episodes for terrorism offences. Thus, on 9 January 1991, in the Shusha region, a UAZ-469 vehicle came under fire, killing three Soviet servicemen and journalist Salatin Askerova.

On 20 November 1991, a helicopter carrying Azerbaijani statesmen and high-ranking military observers from Russia and Kazakhstan was shot down in the Khojavand region. As a result, 22 people were killed.

As a result of missile attacks on the city of Ganja from 4 to 17 October 2020, 26 civilians were killed and another 175 civilians wounded.

From 5 October to 7 November 2020, 29 civilians were killed and another 103 civilians were injured in rocket attacks in the Barda region.

During 44 days of the Patriotic War, material damage totalling more than 187 million manats was inflicted on state property in Ganja and Mingachevir, Terter, Agdam, Barda, Agdjabedi, Fizuli, Goranboy, Beylagan, Jebrail, Kurdamir and Gabala regions.

Attempts were made to blow up a section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Western Export Pipeline in Göranboi and Yevlakh regions.

After the presentation of prosecutors, the court announced that the next hearing will be held on 14 February.

It is worth recalling that the defendants in the case are former leaders of Karabakh separatists: Arkady Ghukasyan, Araik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan and Leva Mnatsakanyan.

Also in the dock are Manukyan Davit, Martirosyan Garik, Pashayan Melikset, Allahverdyan Davit, Stepanyan Gurgen, Balayan Levon, Babayan Madat, Beglaryan Vasily, Gazaryan Eric.

All of them are accused of committing grave crimes against Azerbaijan (separatism, genocide, waging war, deportation, murder, torture, etc.).

The offences were committed between 1987 and 2023. 1,389 criminal cases have been united into a single proceeding. All of them face life imprisonment.

These persons were detained in Karabakh during an anti-terrorist operation in September 2023.  Note that the case of Ruben Vardanyan, a billionaire former ‘Minister of State’ of the separatist regime, is being investigated separately.

The next hearing in his case was held on 10 February.