Shorouk Express
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. An open court
hearing continued on June 30 at the Baku Military Court regarding
criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
including Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan,
Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others.
These individuals are accused of crimes against peace and humanity,
war crimes, preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide,
violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of
terrorism, forcible seizure and retention of power, and numerous
other offenses stemming from Armenia’s military aggression against
Azerbaijan, Trend
reports.
The trial was presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev, with a
panel consisting of Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (with
Gunel Samadova as the reserve judge). All defendants were provided
with interpreters in their preferred language and legal
representation for their defense. The hearing was attended by the
defendants, their lawyers, some of the victims, their legal
successors or representatives, and prosecutors representing the
state.
During the session, Arayik Harutyunyan was questioned by his
defense counsel. He stated that the so-called “defense minister” of
the illegal entity established in Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied
territories was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 2020 by
the President of Armenia. Harutyunyan clarified that the so-called
“army” of this entity (referring to a military unit of the Armenian
armed forces) lacked the authority to make such decisions. He
added, “The rank of lieutenant general was awarded to Jalal
Harutyunyan by Armenian President Armen Sarkissian, upon the
nomination of the prime minister, who signed the decree.”
Harutyunyan further noted that the illegal entity had no
“military police,” “military prosecution,” or “military court.” He
stated, “The military police is a structure of the Armenian armed
forces. The military prosecution operated within the framework of
Armenia’s Prosecutor’s Office. I believe general court proceedings
were handled by the Syunik court, meaning no such judicial
processes took place in Karabakh.”
Responding to his lawyer’s question about the integration of
Armenian residents in Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories
into the Republic of Azerbaijan after the 44-day war, Harutyunyan
admitted that some groups harbored vengeful sentiments: “There were
groups that were highly extremist, ready to seek retribution, and
such incidents did occur. Some individuals were constructive, while
others accused me of betrayal and collaboration. However, there was
also a segment of the population that understood there was no
alternative. The decline in trust in me reached a point where I
‘resigned.’”
When asked by his lawyer whether there had been an assassination
attempt before his “resignation,” Harutyunyan responded, “There was
no assassination attempt, but certain things happened… It was
captured on video, but I prefer not to discuss it and choose to
remain silent.”
Another defense lawyer asked Harutyunyan whether he had military
units or squads under his command as the “leader” of the illegal
entity. He replied that only the “police” and “national security
service” were under his control. When asked if all military units
were part of the Armenian army, he confirmed, “Yes.”
Subsequently, defendant Arkadi Ghukasyan was called to the stand
and questioned by state prosecutor Fuad Musayev. Ghukasyan stated
that during his tenure as the “leader” of the illegal entity, small
agricultural and industrial companies operated in the area,
including the major “Base Metals” company. He explained, “The
company conducting geological exploration gained priority rights to
exploit those deposits. Since only Base Metals conducted such
exploration, it secured priority rights to operate those fields. At
that time, no other company was interested in working in that
direction. It was the only company.”
Ghukasyan confirmed that Base Metals began operations in
Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories, then under Armenian occupation,
around 2001 or 2002, extracting copper from the Heyvali deposit
until 2012. Regarding the company’s investments, he noted, “I
cannot say precisely, but tens of millions were invested. If I’m
not mistaken, around 2,000 workers were employed there. The ‘budget
contributions’ were also quite substantial. The company’s director
was Mkrtumyan (Artur Mkrtumyan – ed.), and its owner was Valeriy
Mejlumyan.” He added that the extracted copper was transported to
Armenia.
Ghukasyan stated that the copper at the Heyvali deposit was
depleted by 2012, but the company continued operations in other
areas. He also discussed the activities of Vartan Sirmakes, an
Armenian-Swiss businessman, in the illegal entity’s territory.
Sirmakes was a co-owner of Artsakhbank and Armswissbank in Armenia
and managed an enterprise in Khankendi employing around 20-25
people. He also established a fish farming business in Azerbaijan’s
formerly occupied territories.
Regarding the illegal entity’s mobile operator, Karabakh
Telecom, Ghukasyan noted that it was owned by a Lebanese Armenian:
“They were operating in Armenia at the time and invested in our
region as well.”
Ghukasyan recounted a 2020 meeting in a bunker with Arayik
Harutyunyan and Bako Sahakyan, where Harutyunyan urged them to
convey a request to Armenia’s leadership to do everything possible
to stop the war. “This was not only Arayik Harutyunyan’s request;
many people approached us with the same plea,” he said. Ghukasyan
added that between October 18-20, he and Sahakyan traveled to
Yerevan to meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, relaying the
request to halt the war.
Responding to questions from Tugay Rahimli, Assistant to the
Prosecutor General for Special Assignments, Ghukasyan confirmed
that as the “leader” of the illegal entity, he was a member of the
Board of Trustees of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund (established in
1992 by decree of Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan). The
board included the Armenian president, prime minister, parliament
speaker, finance minister, two Catholicoses, leaders of prominent
Armenian diaspora organizations, and others (approximately 30-40
people). Ghukasyan described the fund’s activities in Azerbaijan’s
formerly occupied territories, including road construction linking
Armenia to the illegal entity and building schools. He noted that
funds were raised through telethons, in which he participated, held
in the U.S. (Los Angeles), France (Paris), Germany, Austria, and
Switzerland: “People donated through telethons—some gave $5, others
$10,000, or $50,000.”
Ghukasyan confirmed that a ten-year strategic plan for
settlement in Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories was
adopted in 2001. He claimed the plan aimed to facilitate the return
of those who had left the illegal entity’s territory but admitted
that some individuals from Armenia settled there permanently.
A document in Armenian, discovered during an inspection of
Ghukasyan’s residence, related to settlement in Azerbaijan’s
formerly occupied territories, including a map with details of
various areas and the number of families and residents, was
examined in court. Ghukasyan stated he did not recall the document
and suggested it might date back to 2015-2016, not his tenure.
The trial is scheduled to continue on July 3.
Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the
criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the
aggressive war waged by the Armenian state—including the
aforementioned criminal association—on the territory of Azerbaijan,
in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These
crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression
against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership
and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state
institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations,
through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and
guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized
management; as well as under strict control and under the
leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki
Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen
Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli
Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir
Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others.
The following individuals—Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi
Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan,
David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich
Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit
Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki
Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and
Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan—are being charged under the following
articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan:
Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of
aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations
enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article
105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement);
Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population);
Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of
persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to
international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary
service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of
warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law
during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120
(intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship);
Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism);
Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228
(illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and
possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices);
Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277
(assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278
(forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the
constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of
armed groups not provided for by law); and other articles.
