Baku’s Military Court today published the verdicts of former military-political leaders of Artsakh who have been illegally imprisoned in Baku since September 2023.

Arayik Harutyunyan (fourth President of Artsakh), Levon Mnatsakanyan (former Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army), David Manukyan (former Deputy Commander of the Artsakh Defense Army), David Ishkhanyan (last Speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly), David Babayan (former Advisor to the President of the Republic of Artsakh and former foreign minister) were sentenced to life imprisonment, and former Artsakh presidents Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to twenty years in prison.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani state prosecutor had noted that Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were also allegedly accused of crimes punishable by life imprisonment, but since they are 65 years old, he had requested that they be sentenced to twenty years in prison, in accordance with the requirements of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

Only the Azerbaijani state and government-controlled media outlets are present at the trial. It is not possible to verify the details of the trial, the statements attributed to the Armenians from other sources.

Eight more Armenian prisoners are being tried in this case. Madat Babayan was sentenced to nineteen years in prison. The prosecutor also accused Madat Babayan of crimes punishable by life imprisonment, but since he is 65 years old, the prosecutor demanded a twenty-year sentence. Melikset Pashayan was sentenced to nineteen years, Davit Alaverdyan to sixteen years, Garik Martirosyan to eighteen years, Levon Balayan to sixteen years, Vasily Beglaryan, Erik Ghazaryan and Gurgen Stepanyan to fifteen years in prison.

All fifteen Armenian prisoners were charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan: 100 (planning, preparation, waging or waging an aggressive war), 102 (attack on internationally protected persons and organizations), 103 (genocide), 105 (destruction of the population), 106 (slavery), 107 (displacement or forcible transfer of the population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of persons), 112 (detention contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of war), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts), 118 (plunder of war), 120 (willful murder), 192 (illegal business), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing of terrorism), 218 (organization of a criminal community (criminal organization), 228 (illegal acquisition, transportation, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices), 270-1 (dangerous actions against aviation security), 277 (attempted assassination of a state or public figure), 278 (forcible seizure of power or forcible retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional order of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations or groups) and other articles.

The case of former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan is being investigated in a separate proceeding.

Top photo: AZERTAC Azerbaijani state news agency