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Baku Military Court Hands Life Terms to Former Nagorno-Karabakh Leaders

The sweeping case targets 15 former officials on wartime-crimes allegations following Azerbaijan's 2023 takeover.

Overview

  • Life sentences were announced for Araik Arutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, David Ishkhanyan, and David Babayan, according to court and state media reports.
  • Former Nagorno-Karabakh presidents Arkadiy Gukasyan and Bako Saakyan received 20-year prison terms because defendants over 65 cannot be given life sentences under Azerbaijani law.
  • Judges are still reading verdicts for the remaining defendants in the mass trial, which follows more than ten hearings in Baku's military court.
  • Prosecutors brought grave counts that include aggressive war, violations of the laws and customs of war, genocide, financing terrorism, violent seizure of power, and murder.
  • All defendants were detained in late 2023 after Azerbaijan reasserted control over Nagorno-Karabakh, and the case list includes former state minister Ruben Vardanyan.