The court hearing on the criminal case of Ruben Vardanyan, who is accused of violating the laws and customs of war, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other charges, has begun.
The court session is being held at the Baku Court Complex under the chairmanship of Zeynal Aghayev, judge of the Baku Military Court.
In the previous session, Kamo Hayrapetyan and Musheg Grigoryan testified as witnesses in the case. They spoke about Vardanyan's actions in Karabakh.
Ruben Vardanyan has been charged with committing crimes under several articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, including:
- Article 100 – Planning, preparation, initiation, or conduct of an aggressive war
- Article 107 – Deportation or forced displacement of the population
- Article 109 – Persecution
- Article 112 – Unlawful deprivation of liberty in violation of international law
- Article 113 – Use of torture
- Article 114 – Mercenarism
- Article 115 – Violation of the laws and customs of war
- Article 116 – Violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts
- Article 214 – Terrorism
- Article 214-1 – Financing of terrorism
Additionally, Vardanyan is accused of offenses under:
- Article 218 – Organization of a criminal association (criminal organization)
- Article 228 – Illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, or possession of weapons, ammunition, explosive substances, and explosive devices
- Article 270-1 – Acts threatening aviation security
- Article 278 – Violent seizure or retention of power, violent change of the constitutional order of the state
- Article 279 – Creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law
- Article 318 – Illegal crossing of Azerbaijan’s state border
Vardanyan also faces additional charges under other articles of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.