Trial of 13 members of Armenian armed formations continue - UPDATED

The court trial on the case of the members of the Armenian terrorist group Ovanesyan Haykaz Koryunovic, Manukyan Varazdat Amusavanovic, Stepanyan David Stepanovich, Tosunyan Levan Asotovic, Baghdasaryan Artur Eduardovich, Avakian Serop Surenovich, Arutyunyan Varazdat Seryojevic, Manukyan Jora Vanoevic, Herabyan Hrayr Hracovic, Gosparyan Narek Agaovic, Kuregyan Grigor Gagigovic, Gevorgyan Ashot Artakovic, Aqramanyan Martin Mushegovic was continued in the administrative building of the Baku Court of Appeal.

According to Report, the accused Manukyan is interrogated at the trial chaired by Baku Court of Grave Crimes Judge Eldar Ismayilov.

He said that in November last year, he was at a post on a mountain in the Lachin region:

"When we went there, we passed by Russian peacekeepers. Our commander was Arsen Kazaryan. On December 13, we were detained by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and surrendered to them.

Later, another accused, Stepanyan, was interrogated. He also said that he served at a post in Lachin and was detained by the Azerbaijani Army.

During the interrogation, Tosunyan said that he had been in Karabakh before the war and visited the church.

In his testimony, the accused Agramanyan thanked the servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army: "Since they gave us food, and treated well. I knew that Nikol Pashinyan signed a contract on November 10 to end the war."

A break was announced in the process.

10:18

The court trial on the case of the members of the Armenian terrorist group Ovanesyan Haykaz Koryunovic, Manukyan Varazdat Amusavanovic, Stepanyan David Stepanovich, Tosunyan Levan Asotovic, Baghdasaryan Artur Eduardovich, Avakian Serop Surenovich, Arutyunyan Varazdat Seryojevic, Manukyan Jora Vanoevic, Herabyan Hrayr Hracovic, Gosparyan Narek Agaovic, Kureqyan Grigor Gagigovic, Gevorgyan Ashot Artakovic, Aqramanyan Martin Mushegovic is continued in the administrative building of the Baku Court of Appeal.

According to Report, the accused are interrogated at the trial chaired by Baku Court of Grave Crimes Judge Eldar Ismayilov.

07:15

Today the court trial on the case of the members of the Armenian terrorist group Ovanesyan Haykaz Koryunovic, Manukyan Varazdat Amusavanovic, Stepanyan David Stepanovich, Tosunyan Levan Asotovic, Baghdasaryan Artur Eduardovich, Avakian Serop Surenovich, Arutyunyan Varazdat Seryojevic, Manukyan Jora Vanoevic, Herabyan Hrayr Hracovic, Gosparyan Narek Aqaovic, Kureqyan Grigor Gagigovic, Gevorgyan Ashot Artakovic, Aqramanyan Martin Mushegovic will be continued in the administrative building of the Baku Court of Appeal.

According to Report, the accused will be interrogated at the trial chaired by Baku Court of Grave Crimes Judge Eldar Ismayilov.

Members of the illegal armed formation illegally entered the Azerbaijani territory, took a position in the forests in the Khojavand region's Hadrut village, and committed terrorist, subversive, and other criminal actions against the Azerbaijani military personnel and civilians. The members of these armed formations illegally crossed Azerbaijan's state border on November 26-27, 2020. As an organized group, they took up combat positions in the forest and other areas in the north-western part of the Khojavand region's Hadrut village.

They attacked enterprises, institutions, and organizations, or individuals, organized explosions, committed arsons, or other terrorist acts posing a threat to the life and health of people, capable of causing significant property damage or leading to other socially dangerous consequences, intending to disrupt public safety, sowing panic among the population or influencing decision-making by the state authorities of Azerbaijan or international organizations.

The formation members were disarmed in the State Security Service's (SSS) anti-terrorist operation on December 13, 2020, after the announcement of a ceasefire agreed upon by Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia in a trilateral statement made on November 10, 2020. The preliminary investigation into the criminal case against them, initiated by the Investigation Department of the SSS, has been completed.

Members of the illegal armed formation Hovanesyan Haykaz Koryunovich, Manukyan Varazdat Amushavanovich, Stepanyan David Stepanovich, Tosunyan Levan Ashotovich, and others, a total of 13 accused, were charged under Articles 214.2.1, 214.2.3 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (terrorism by an organized group or criminal community; with the use of firearms and objects, used as weapons), 228.3 (illegal acquisition of ammunition, explosives by an organized group), 279.2 (attacks on enterprises, departments, organizations by an armed group) and 318.2 (illegal border crossing by an organized group). The investigation was completed, and its results, together with the indictment approved by the Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, were submitted to the court for consideration.