Baku Court of Appeal upholds sentence against Arayik Harutyunyan and co-defendants

On August 6, the Baku Court of Appeal concluded its review of appeals filed by Armenian citizens Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others convicted of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, terrorism, and attempting to forcibly seize power during Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan.

The court session was presided over by Judge Elmar Ragimov, with Judges Emin Mehtiyev and Mehriban Garayeva on the panel (reserve judge Ali Mammedov). All defendants were provided with defense counsel and interpreters for Armenian and Russian. Prosecutors from the Prosecutor General's Office represented the state, while representatives from the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) attended as observers.

The court announced its ruling on the appeals, stating that the verdict handed down by the Baku Military Court on February 5, 2026, against Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and other co-defendants remains unchanged.

Under the Baku Military Court's February 5, 2026 verdict, Arayik Harutyunyan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, Davit Manukyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, and Davit Babayan were sentenced to life imprisonment. Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan received 20-year prison terms; Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan were sentenced to 19 years; Garik Martirosyan to 18 years; Davit Alaverdyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years; while Vasili Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Erik Khachatryan were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.

N.Tebrizli