Victim: Armenian army shelled populated areas, killed people, took them hostage, and tortured them - COURT

On April 25, the open court session continued regarding criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia: Araik Arutyunyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Saakyan, David Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others, accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and waging of aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing terrorism, violent seizure of power or violent retention of power, and numerous other crimes.

According to Report, the court session, held in the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Aghayev with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova), provided each of the accused with a translator in the language they spoke and lawyers for their defense.

The session involved the accused, their defenders, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors representing the state prosecution.

The court process continued with the testimonies of the victims. After giving their testimonies, the victims answered questions from the state prosecutors, representatives of the victims, the defenders, and the accused.

Judge Zeynal Aghayev introduced the victims, who were participating in the process for the first time, to the court panel, translators, etc., and explained their rights and duties as stipulated by law.

Victim Aghalar Aliyev stated that he was born in the city of Shusha and studied in a school alongside Armenians. According to him, when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan, he was working in law enforcement.

Aliyev stated that the process called "Miatsum movement" took an open form in February 1988: "We were told that the Armenians demanded that Karabakh be handed over to Armenia."

At first, "stone terrorism" began, which consisted of throwing stones at all vehicles leaving Shusha, including buses, by Armenian crowds gathered in Asgaran, at the entrance to Khankandi, and in Khanabad. As a result, some people were injured, and car windows were broken. Then, they started shelling residential areas with heavy weapons. On November 20, 1991, our helicopter was shot down. The morning after the helicopter crash, my wedding took place in Shusha. That was the last wedding in Shusha. That day, Armenians fired a salvo of artillery at Shusha for the first time. One could say they instilled fear in the city."

In response to questions from Senior Assistant to the Attorney General Vusal Aliyev, the victim stated that, unfortunately, they had no answer: "On the contrary, the Armenians had everything — the 366th Motorized Rifle Regiment was located in Khankandi, and most of the officers and soldiers stationed there were Armenians. Meanwhile, we could not find a single bullet for our personal weapons, while they had loaded rifles."

In response to questions from state prosecutor Fuad Musayev, he also spoke about helicopter flights from the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan to Armenia and back: "I personally saw the helicopters. People and weapons were being brought from Armenia."

Aliyev mentioned that he participated in negotiations with the Armenian side. He noted that one day, immediately after a prisoner and hostage exchange, the Armenian side opened fire on their bus. As a result, an Azerbaijani hostage, who had been saved, was injured again.

He stated that he knew one of the accused, Arkady Ghukasyan, and that Ghukasyan was the editor of the newspaper "Soviet Karabakh." Aliyev said that the newspaper called for the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from their lands. As an example, he cited an interview given to the same newspaper by Seyran Ohanyan, who later became the Minister of Defense of Armenia.

After that, the representatives of the victims, defenders, and the accused asked questions to the victim.

Accused Arkady Ghukasyan, commenting on the victim's statements, said that in 1992, the newspaper "Soviet Karabakh" had already ceased publication, that he worked as the deputy editor of this publication, and that he did not know the victim.

Victim Ordokhan Karimov, in his testimony, also stated that he knew one of the accused, Arkady Ghukasyan. He said that as part of an investigative group, he went to the locations where the Armenian armed forces had carried out an incident.

Karimov emphasized that in the summer of 1991, in the village of Sirkhavand, Armenian militants had burned four Azerbaijanis alive and noted: "Two fathers and two sons were burned. In Garadaghly, they burned seven people. That day, we couldn’t reach the massacre site in Meshali, and we could only get there a day later. When we entered the village, there was the smell of human flesh, the residents had been burned."

In response to questions from Nasir Bayramov, head of the Department for the Support of State Prosecution at the General Prosecutor’s Office, he also mentioned regular rocket attacks on the city of Shusha: "When the shelling occurred, the population hid in the basements of their houses. I had three children, they were small. They stayed in the basement so long that their bodies were covered in wounds."

Victim Magerram Huseynov stated that in the 1990s, he worked at the Shusha police station, and during that time, Shusha Armenians also participated in the rallies held in Khankandi.

In response to questions from representatives of the victims, Maharram Huseynov said that on the night of February 10-11, 1992, the villages of Malibayli and Gushchular were attacked by Armenian armed formations and occupied: "They killed dozens of our fellow countrymen. There were wounded, and several people were taken hostage. Shortly after that, on the night of February 25-26, the cruel terrorists committed the Khojaly genocide. The Khojaly genocide was truly, literally, an unprecedented act of terrorism in the history of mankind," he added.

In response to a question from a representative of the victims about whether there was heavy weaponry, including rockets, in Shusha at the time, Huseynov answered: "If we had heavy equipment, we would have shelled them with projectiles when the Khojaly genocide was brutally committed, so they would fear and be cautious."

Victim Arif Ibrahimov stated that the homes belonging to his relatives in Shusha were destroyed: "Our house was in Shusha. I also traveled to Khankandi. In Shusha, there were 32 homes belonging to our relatives. After the liberation of Shusha, I went there, and not a single one of these houses remained."

Victim Avaz Mammadov shared that he was born in Shusha, lived there, and worked as a teacher. He added: "Since the Armenians held a rally in February 1988, they also planned the occupation of Shusha."

Mammadov noted that at first, vehicles leaving Shusha were pelted with stones, people were injured, and the windows of vehicles were shattered.

In response to questions from state prosecutors Vusal Abdullayev and Taranа Mammadova, the victim stated that at the next stage, the Armenian army shelled settlements, including Shusha, attacked villages, killed people, took them hostage, and subjected them to torture.

"At the next stage, Shusha was shelled with T-55 tanks, heavy artillery, and rockets. The civilian population, the women of Shusha, slept in basements with their infants," he continued.

Victim Niyazi Hasanov shared that attacks on the villages of Malibayli and Gushchular began at the end of December 1991. According to him, the attacks increased after February 7.

The victim stated that on February 9, he and his mother were injured as a result of a BMP shelling and mentioned that he still has a shrapnel in his body. In response to questions from the Assistant Attorney General for Special Assignments, Tugay Rahimli, he emphasized that no roads or corridors for the peaceful population to exit were provided during the attack on the villages and noted: "We were forced to go through the forest and reached the Aghdam village of Abdal-Gulabli. From Abdal-Gulabli, we were taken to the Aghdam hospital. After the Khojaly genocide, many wounded were brought to this hospital. Our beds were placed under pine trees in the hospital yard. The doctors there helped us so that we wouldn't die."

Victim Sadyrkhan Ahmadov also spoke about the attack by the Armenian army on the villages of Malibayli and Gushchular, stating that during these events, he was injured, their land was occupied, and his relatives were killed.

The court also heard the conclusions of the forensic medical examination regarding Niyazi Hasanov and Sadyrkhan Ahmadov.

The next court session is scheduled for April 28.

Fifteen individuals are accused in the case: Arkadiy Ghukasyan, Araik Arutyunyan, Bako Saakyan, David Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Leva Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Allahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasili Beglaryan, and Erik Gazaryan.

Based on their involvement in the criminal community, the accused are charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: 100 (planning and waging an aggressive war), 102 (attacks on individuals or organizations under international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (extermination of population), 106 (slavery), 107 (deportation or forcible relocation of population), 109 (persecution), 110 (forcibly holding individuals), 112 (deprivation of liberty in violation of international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary activity), 115 (violations of the laws and customs of war), 116 (violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts), 118 (military looting), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism), 218 (creation of a criminal community/organization), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transport, or possession of weapons, parts, ammunition, explosives, and explosive devices), 270-1 (threats to aviation security), 278 (violent seizure or retention of power, violent alteration of the constitutional order), 279 (creation of illegal armed formations or groups).

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A court hearing is being held at the Baku Judicial Complex on the criminal case against persons of Armenian origin accused of war and other crimes against Azerbaijan.

According to Report, the process is presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev of the Baku Military Court.

At the previous proceeding, the victims gave testimony.