Judicial panel of the Court of Appeal retires for deliberation at hearing on complaints of Armenian citizens
On July 31, the Baku Court of Appeal continued consideration of the appeals of citizens of the Republic of Armenia Araik Arutyunyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, David Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan and others, against whom the Baku Military Court had handed down a guilty verdict for crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes committed as a result of Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, including the preparation and waging of aggressive war, genocide, violation of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, violent seizure of power and other numerous crimes.
As AZERTAJ reports, the court session was held under the chairmanship of Judge Elmar Rahimov of the Baku Court of Appeal, with the participation of judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva (reserve judge - Ali Mammadov). Each of the persons in respect of whom appellate proceedings are being conducted in the criminal case were provided with interpreters in the Armenian and Russian languages, which they speak, as well as lawyers to ensure their right to defense.
Representatives of the victims and state prosecutors - Head of the Department for Maintaining State Prosecution of the Prosecutor General's Office Abbas Abbasly, prosecutors of the same department Anar Alekperov and Sevinj Gasimova - took part in the court session.
At the beginning of the court session, it was reported that a representative of the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan is also participating in the process as an observer.
The court session continued with the replies of the accused.
The accused B. Sahakyan, exercising the right to reply, continued his speech. He asked the court to overturn the verdict of the court of first instance and issue an acquittal in his regard.
Other accused - Vasily Beglaryan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Madat Babayan, Gurgen Stepanyan, David Manukyan, David Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Melikset Pashayan, Garik Martirosyan, David Allahverdyan, Levon Balayan and Erik Kazaryan, as well as the defenders of some of them, also exercised the right to reply and expressed their attitude to the speeches of the prosecution.
The defenders mainly asked the court to overturn the verdict of the court of first instance in relation to the persons whose rights they defend and to issue an acquittal. The accused, having set out their arguments, said that they do not plead guilty to the charges brought against them. At this point, all the accused completed the exercise of their right to reply.
Then the representatives of the victims spoke, stating that the verdict of the court of first instance is lawful and justified, and all the circumstances of the case were proven during the trial. They asked the court to leave the verdict unchanged.
After that, the floor was given to the state prosecutors.
They noted that the verdict of the court of first instance is lawful and justified, and the arguments set out in the appeals of the accused do not create grounds for its cancellation or amendment. In this regard, they asked not to satisfy the appeals and to leave the verdict unchanged.
Presiding Judge E. Rahimov announced the completion of the judicial consideration of the filed appeals. The judicial panel retired to the deliberation room to render a decision.
It should be recalled that according to the verdict of the Baku Military Court of February 5, 2026, Araik Arutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, David Ishkhanyan and David Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment. Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison, Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan - to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan - to 18 years, David Allahverdyan and Levon Balayan - to 16 years, and Vasily Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan and Erik Kazaryan - to 15 years in prison.
