More than ten victims testified in Ruben Vardanyan's trial

The court hearing on the criminal case of Ruben Vardanyan, who is accused of violating the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other charges, continued on March 18, Report informs.

As per Report, at an open court session held in the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, consisting of Judges Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), the accused was provided with an interpreter in the language he speaks, that is, Russian, as well as a lawyer of his choice for defense.

At the beginning of the session, Ruben Vardanyan's defense attorney Avraam Berman filed a motion with the court asking to create conditions for familiarization with the minutes of the sessions and the audio recordings attached to them.

The prosecution did not object to the motion.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev, having granted the motion, said that the accused and his defense attorney would be provided with conditions for re-familiarization with the minutes of the court hearings.

Then the victims in the case were questioned.

Before the questioning, Zeynal Aghayev explained to the victims their rights and obligations.

Subsequently, the victims Rahib Fataliyev, Sakhavat Rajabov, Farid Mammadov, Sanan Mirzaliyev, Samir Malikov, Jeyhun Khankishiyev, Alasgar Jafarov, Safa Mammadov, Alish Shamiyev, Eldar Huseynov, Elvin Taghiyev and others stated that they knew Ruben Vardanyan through the media and social networks and that they had received various degrees of bodily injuries as a result of gunfire from various weapons, including hand grenade explosions, during the Armenian military provocation while serving in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan that were once occupied by Armenia.

Each of the victims asked the court to impose the most severe punishment on the accused Ruben Vardanyan.

After the interrogation, the victims answered the questions of the prosecutors defending the state prosecution about their places of service, the specific areas where the military provocations were committed, and the severity and localization of the injuries sustained as a result of the incident.

Then, the results of the forensic medical examination of the victims who testified during the trial on March 11 were announced.

The next court hearing is scheduled for April 1.

The court hearing on the criminal case of Ruben Vardanyan, who is accused of violating the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other charges, has begun, Report informs.

The court session is being held at the Baku Court Complex under the chairmanship of Zeynal Aghayev, judge of the Baku Military Court.

In the previous session, Kamo Hayrapetyan and Musheg Grigoryan testified as witnesses in the case. They spoke about Vardanyan's actions in Karabakh.

Ruben Vardanyan has been charged with committing crimes under several articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, including:

• Article 100 – Planning, preparation, initiation, or conduct of an aggressive war
• Article 107 – Deportation or forced displacement of the population
• Article 109 – Persecution
• Article 112 – Unlawful deprivation of liberty in violation of international law
• Article 113 – Use of torture
• Article 114 – Mercenarism
• Article 115 – Violation of the laws and customs of war
• Article 116 – Violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts
• Article 214 – Terrorism
• Article 214-1 – Financing of terrorism

Additionally, Vardanyan is accused of offenses under:

• Article 218 – Organization of a criminal association (criminal organization)
• Article 228 – Illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, or possession of weapons, ammunition, explosive substances, and explosive devices
• Article 270-1 – Acts threatening aviation security
• Article 278 – Violent seizure or retention of power, violent change of the constitutional order of the state
• Article 279 – Creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law
• Article 318 – Illegal crossing of Azerbaijan’s state border

Vardanyan also faces additional charges under other articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.