BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 2. On June 2, the Baku
Court of Appeal commenced its preliminary hearing on the appeals
filed by citizens of the Republic of Armenia – Arayik Harutyunyan,
Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan,
Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others. These individuals had been
convicted by the Baku Military Court for crimes against peace and
humanity, war crimes resulting from Armenia’s military aggression
against Azerbaijan, including the preparation and waging of an
aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war,
terrorism, financing of terrorism, violent seizure of power, and
numerous other offenses, Trend reports.
During the court session held at the Baku Court of Appeal under
the chairmanship of Judge Elmar Rahimov, with the participation of
Judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva (reserve judge Ali
Mammadov), each person subject to the appellate criminal
proceedings was provided with an interpreter in the languages they
know—Armenian and Russian—as well as defense attorneys to ensure
their right to defense.
The court session was attended by representatives of the
victims, prosecutors upholding the state prosecution – Abbas
Abbasli, head of the State Prosecution Support Department of the
Prosecutor General’s Office, and Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj
Gasimova, prosecutors of the same department.
The convicts said they had no objections to the court’s
composition, the interpreters, the prosecution, or the prosecutors
upholding the state prosecution.
The convicts were explained their procedural rights and
obligations under criminal procedural legislation. David Babayan
noted that he and the other defendants supported the appeals filed
by their defense attorneys.
The presiding judge stated that after reviewing the appellants’
arguments regarding the appeals, the raised motions would be
deliberated during the subsequent stage of the proceedings,
pursuant to criminal procedural legislation.
The convicts submitted motions requesting clarification on the
appeal, the examination of witnesses, and the presence of a
representative from the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman)
of Azerbaijan at the hearing.
Sevinj Gasimova, Prosecutor upholding the state prosecution,
addressed the motions, noting that the Ombudsman’s representative
is not a party to the proceedings. Noting that while the
representative may attend the open court session as a public
observer, the prosecutor clarified that under current legislation,
the Ombudsman’s mandate is limited to inspecting detention
conditions in penitentiary facilities and taking on-site preventive
measures.
The prosecutor also mentioned that enough witnesses had already
been examined during the preliminary investigation and initial
trial, where they reaffirmed their previous statements. He also
recalled that under current legislation, for new evidence to be
admissible in the appeal phase, the defense must provide
justification as to why it could not be presented to the court of
first instance.
It was stated that when the motion to call new witnesses was
filed, the defense failed to provide the required identifying
information for those individuals.
Furthermore, the prosecution emphasized that collecting
unnecessary evidence should not serve to delay or prolong the
trial.
Consequently, the prosecutor upholding the state prosecution
requested that the court deny the motions to avoid any undue delay
of the proceedings.
Representatives of the victims also concurred with the public
prosecutor’s position.
The court also stated that one of the motions requested
electronic access to the trial transcripts and case materials. It
was mentioned that no restrictions exist, and any party to the
proceedings may apply to review these documents.
Afterwards, the court retired for deliberation.
Following the deliberation, the adopted decisions were
announced, noting that the defense’s motions were granted in
part.
The court announced that the appellate review is scheduled for
June 9.
According to the verdict of the Baku Military Court dated
February 5, 2026, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David
Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan were sentenced to
life imprisonment. Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were
sentenced to 20 years, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan to 19
years, Garik Martirosyan to 18 years, Davit Allahverdyan and Levon
Balayan to 16 years, and Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and
Erik Gazaryan to 15 years of imprisonment.