BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 21. On July 21, the Baku Court of Appeal continued hearings 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 — who were convicted by the Baku Military Court of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing of terrorism, forcible seizure of power, and numerous other crimes resulting from Armenia’s military aggression against Azerbaijan.
The court session was presided over by Judge Elmar Rahimov, with Judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva participating in the panel, while Judge Ali Mammadov served as the reserve judge. The court ensured that the appellants were provided with interpreters in the languages they understand — Armenian and Russian — as well as legal counsel to guarantee their right to defense.
The hearing was also attended by representatives of the victims and prosecutors representing the state prosecution, including Abbas Abbasli, Head of the Department for the Maintenance of Public Prosecution in the Courts of Appeal at the Prosecutor General’s Office, along with prosecutors of the department Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova.
First, presiding judge Elmar Rahimov informed that the defense's motion for a confidential meeting with the accused had been considered by the court panel, adding that this matter had been resolved.
Afterwards, it was mentioned that the defense and representatives of the victims had already delivered their statements. In accordance with the procedural order, the public prosecutor was given the floor to present the arguments for the prosecution.
In accordance with the procedural sequence of the process, the prosecutors defending the public prosecution – Abbas Abbasli, Head of the Department for the Maintenance of Public Prosecution in the Courts of Appeal at the Prosecutor General’s Office, along with prosecutors of the department Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova, provided a detailed analysis of the outcomes of the court investigation conducted in the first instance court and the evidence collected in the case.
The prosecutors defending the state prosecution stated that all evidence in the criminal case had been examined in a comprehensive, complete, and objective manner in the first instance court. The circumstances reflected in the case materials were confirmed by the testimonies of the victims and witnesses, the opinions of forensic experts, material evidence, documents, protocols of the inspection of the crime scene, as well as other evidence collected in the criminal case.
It was further added that the evidence presented during the judicial investigation confirms the validity of the charges brought against the accused, showing that the conclusions reached by the court of first instance are consistent with the evidence examined in the criminal case.
The next court hearing is scheduled for July 24.
According to the verdict issued by the Baku Military Court on 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 in prison; Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan to 19 years; Garik Martirosyan to 18 years; Davit Allahverdiyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years; and Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Ghazaryan to 15 years in prison.
