Baku: 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 were previously convicted by the Baku Military Court for crimes including war crimes, terrorism, and forcible seizure of power, linked to Armenia’s military actions against Azerbaijan.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the court session was presided over by Judge Elmar Rahimov, with Judges Emin Mehdiyev and Mehriban Garayeva participating, while Judge Ali Mammadov served as the reserve judge. The court ensured the appellants had access to interpreters in Armenian and Russian, as well as legal counsel, to uphold their right to defense.
The hearing included representatives of victims and state prosecutors, notably 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 Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova. Presiding judge Elmar Rahimov stated that the defense’s motion for a confidential meeting with the accused had been addressed.
The defense and victims’ representatives had already presented their statements. Following procedural order, the public prosecutor presented arguments for the prosecution. Abbas Abbasli, alongside Anar Alakbarov and Sevinj Gasimova, provided a thorough analysis of the court investigation and the evidence from the first instance court, detailing the examination of evidence and testimonies.
The prosecutors argued that the evidence was examined comprehensively in the first instance court, with testimonies from victims and witnesses, forensic expert opinions, and material evidence supporting the charges against the accused. They affirmed that the conclusions of the first instance court were consistent with the evidence.
The next court hearing is scheduled for July 24. The initial verdict by the Baku Military Court on February 5, 2026, sentenced Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan to life imprisonment. Others, including Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, received sentences ranging from 15 to 20 years.