Baku, Azerbaijan, April 8. Court hearings on
the criminal case against Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian citizen
charged with torture, mercenary activity, violation of the laws and
customs of warfare, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other
offenses under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
continued on April 8, Trend reports.
The open hearings were held at the Baku Military Court and
presided over by Judge Zeynal Aghayev and a panel of judges
consisting of Anar Rzayev and Jamal Ramazanov (reserve judge Gunel
Samadova). The accused was provided with an interpreter in the
language of his choice, i.e. Russian, as well as lawyers for his
defense.
The next court hearing is scheduled for April 15.
Ruben Vardanyan is charged with crimes under Articles 100.1,
100.2 (planning, preparing, initiating and waging a war of
aggression), 107 (deportation and forced displacement of the
population), 109 (persecution), 110 (forcible disappearance of
persons), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international
law), 113 (torture), 114.1 (mercenary activity), 115.2 (violation
of the laws and customs of warfare), 116.0.1, 116.0.2, 116.0.10,
116.0.11, 116.0.16, 116.0.18 (violation of international
humanitarian law during armed conflict), 120.2.1, 120.2.3, 120.2.4,
120.2.7, 120.2.11, 120.2.12 (intentional murder), 29,120.2.1,
29,120.2.3, 29,120.2.4, 29,120.2.7, 29,120.2.11, 29,120.2.12
(attempted intentional murder), 192.3.1 (illegal entrepreneurship),
214.2.1, 214.2.3, 214.2.4 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing of
terrorism), 218.1, 218.2 (creation of a criminal group), 228.3
(illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and
possession of firearms, their components, ammunition, explosives
and devices), 270-1.2, 270-1.4 (acts threatening aviation safety),
278.1 (forcible seizure or retention of power, forcible change of
the constitutional structure of the state), 279.1, 279.2, 279.3
(creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law)
and 318.2 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of
Azerbaijan).