Baku: A preparatory session of the trial against Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen accused of numerous crimes including torture, mercenary activities, violations of war laws, terrorism, and financing terrorism, continued on Monday, APA reports. The trial is being held at the Baku Military Court within the Baku Court Complex, overseen by Judge Zeynal Agayev, with additional judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev on the panel. A Russian language interpreter and defense attorneys have been provided for the defendant.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the trial was attended by victims, their legal heirs, and representatives, as well as prosecutors. Rufat Mammadov, representing the government of Azerbaijan, was also in attendance. The defense attorney, Avraam Berman, requested a confidential meeting with Vardanyan, which was granted by the judge. A break was announced following this request.
The court introduced new interpreters for the trial, with no objections raised by the prosecution or defense. The defense’s motions were not satisfied, leading to an objection to the court’s composition, defended by Vardanyan’s lawyers. Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General Vusal Aliyev noted that objections must be substantiated with evidence of the judge’s interest in the prosecution, which was not provided by the defense. Consequently, the objection was left unconsidered.
Prosecutors highlighted the alleged criminal acts related to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, emphasizing the involvement of Armenian state forces and leaders in the aggression. The prosecution detailed the occupation and destruction of various Azerbaijani regions, resulting in significant material damage. The indictment also covered the forced disappearance of civilians, use of mercenaries, and other crimes.
The reading of the indictment’s concluding part will continue in the next session, scheduled for February 13. Vardanyan faces multiple charges under the Azerbaijani Criminal Code, including planning aggressive war, deportation, torture, mercenarism, and terrorism-related offenses.