WNAM MONITORING: The next court session was held in Baku on Friday regarding the criminal case against individuals of Armenian descent accused of committing war crimes.
According to Report, the session was held at the Baku Military Court under the leadership of Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samadova) in attendance. Each of the accused was provided with an interpreter for their language, as well as defense attorneys.
The session was attended by the accused, their defenders, some of the victims, their legal heirs, and representatives, as well as prosecutors representing the state.
During the trial, state prosecutors posed questions to the accused, Davit Manukyan, a citizen of Armenia and a Major General in the Armenian Armed Forces.
He stated that he began fighting against Azerbaijan as part of the “Shusha Separate Battalion,” which was called the “Dashnak Battalion.”
During the trial, the accused, Davit Manukyan, answered questions from state prosecutor Fuad Musayev, admitting that he fought against the Republic of Azerbaijan in the battalion he served in and used weapons during attacks.
Manukyan stated that during the First Karabakh War, he participated in battles in the Aghdara district as part of the “Dashnak Battalion” and fought in the Kalbajar district for 15 days.
He also mentioned that later, he served in the “Shusha Battalion” as a squad commander, company commander, and chief of staff.
In response to questions from state prosecutor Vusal Abdullayev, Manukyan revealed that while serving in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, he was sent by the Republic of Armenia to study at the Frunze Military Academy in Russia.
He further explained that many officers who served in the occupied Azerbaijani territories were sent by Armenia for military education to several countries, saying, “military personnel were sent to Russia, the United States, Germany, and Greece for education. This was organized by the Armenian Ministry of Defense. While studying abroad, their salaries were also paid by Armenia’s Ministry of Defense.”
Manukyan emphasized that he received the rank of Major General by order of Armenian President Armen Sarkisyan on January 28, 2020, during an event marking the Armenian Armed Forces Day.
According to Manukyan, later, by order of Armenian President Armen Sarkisyan, he was appointed as the “First Deputy Commander” (in charge of combat training) in the self-declared regime’s “army.” He mentioned that during the 44-day war in 2020, he held this position and received instructions from the “defense minister” Jalal Harutyunyan.
Manukyan also revealed that during the 2020 conflict, a reserve command post was established on the lower floor of the “headquarters” in the previously occupied Azerbaijani territories. He stated, “The task was that, if the command post was destroyed, the personnel would temporarily take over the duties.”
He further talked about the arrival of the third battalion of the Armenian armed forces, designated as “Cəsurlar dəstəsi” (Brave Squad), from military unit number 99192, into the occupied Azerbaijani territories. “The battalion was formed in Armenia on October 11, 2020, and sent under the command of the ‘army’ commander to Karabakh. The commander asked me to go. I went to the designated location. There were 90 people there, of various ages and professions. The funding for the unit came from Armenia. After the war, the ‘battalion commander’ came to me with two lists: one for 90 people and another for 20. He said that, if not all 90, at least 20 individuals should be rewarded.”
Manukyan confirmed that after the 44-day war, the self-declared regime’s “army” underwent cuts, although he did not elaborate on the reasons. He later mentioned, “I was retired from the ‘army’ by order of the Armenian president in late 2021.”
He also noted that during his time as the “military unit commander” in Aghdara, he was awarded the “Second-Class Combat Cross” by Armenian President Robert Kocharyan.
Manukyan also mentioned that the “defense minister” of the self-declared entity in the previously occupied Azerbaijani territories was appointed by the Republic of Armenia.
He stated that the so-called “president” of the self-declared regime did not have the authority to appoint a “defense minister.” Manukyan elaborated, saying, “Depending on the administrative system in the Republic of Armenia, the ‘defense minister’ would either be appointed by the president or another official.”
The accused further pointed out that senior military ranks in the self-declared regime’s “army” were also granted by Armenia.
He admitted that weapons had been brought from Armenia to the formerly occupied Azerbaijani territories. He also acknowledged that officers and other military personnel had been sent from Armenia to serve in these occupied areas.
Manukyan confessed that he was retired from the self-declared regime’s “army,” but continued to receive his pension from Armenia, his home country.
The accused also admitted that soldiers under his command at the “7th defense line” in Aghdara, specifically in the Goranboy’s Gulustan village had laid mines. He stated, “If I am not mistaken, they were PMN-1 mines.”
He also stated that the self-declared regime in the previously occupied Azerbaijani territories did not possess long-range ballistic missiles.
Manukyan claimed that during the 44-day war in 2020, he was unaware of missile strikes on areas far from the front lines of Azerbaijan, and he only learned of these events later.
He also responded to questions regarding military training exercises conducted in the formerly occupied Azerbaijani territories. The accused admitted that the orders and plans for military drills in Karabakh came from the Armenian Armed Forces’ General Staff.
While answering questions from state prosecutor Tarana Mammadova, the accused also discussed his relationship with Ruben Vardanyan, who is currently in prison in Azerbaijan, facing charges of serious crimes. Manukyan mentioned that Vardanyan was detained on September 27, 2023, while attempting to leave Azerbaijan in his car. “We were five people, talking, and Vardanyan was there. I asked him, ‘How are you going to leave?’ He shrugged. He asked, ‘Is there space in your car?’ I told him our neighbor’s wife wanted to come with us. I called my wife to ask if it was certain that the neighbor’s wife was coming. She said no, her son had found a car. I told Vardanyan that there was space in the car. Then, we were stopped at the Lachin border-crossing checkpoint,” he added.
Later, documents related to the criminal case were reviewed.
The next court hearing is scheduled for April 7, where the process will continue with questions to the accused.
11:52
A court hearing is being held on the criminal case of persons of Armenian origin accused of committing war crimes, Report informs.
The process is underway at the Baku Court Complex under the chairmanship of Zeynal Aghayev, judge of the Baku Military Court.
During the previous session, Davit Ishkhanyan, one of the accused persons, was questioned by prosecutors supporting the state accusation, representatives of the victims, and defenders.
They are accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including aggressive warfare, genocide, forced displacement, persecution, torture, military looting, and other illegal acts committed against Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people by the Armenian state and its armed forces, including the former self-proclaimed “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” established in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories and its illegal armed formations.
The hearing is being held in the criminal case against defendants Arkadi Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Davit Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Allahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasili Beglaryan, and Erik Gazaryan.
