Another court hearing of the criminal case against Vagif Cherkezovich Khachatryan, one of the members of the illegal Armenian armed formations, which committed a massacre in the village of Meshali of Azerbaijan’s Khojaly district on December 22, 1991, is underway.
During the hearing at the headquarters of the Yasamal District Court, chaired by Judge of the Baku Military Court Zeynal Aghayev, Vagif Khachatryan was provided with a translator.
Senior assistant of Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General, the 3rd-degree State Adviser of Justice Mugaddas Sultanov is expected to address the court hearing.
During the first court hearing of the criminal case against Vagif Cherkezovich Khachatryan on October 13, the questionnaire data of the defendant was clarified, as well as his rights and duties was explained.
During the court hearing of the criminal case against Vagif Cherkezovich Khachatryan on October 17, an indictment against the defendant was announced, the victims and the defendant provided testimonies.
The court hearings of the criminal case against Vagif Cherkezovich Khachatryan held on October 18, 24, 25, and November 1, heard the testimonies of the victims, as they highlighted the crimes committed by the Khachatryan-led armed group and demanded the most severe sentence for the defendant.
The court hearing held on November 6 heard the forensic reports on Vagif Khachatryan, people killed and injured during the events in the village of Meshali. Thus, the judicial investigation has ended.
Vagif Cherkezovich Khachatryan is charged under the article 103 (Genocide) and article 107 (Deportation or forced exile of population) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
A criminal group with the participation of Vagif Khachatryan as part of armed formations, not provided for by the legislation of Azerbaijan, comprising of the Armenian nationalists living in the Karabakh economic region, as well as arrived from the Republic of Armenia, committed genocide against the local Azerbaijani population in the village of Meshali, Khojaly district on December 22, 1991 ( on the territory of the former Asgaran district). As a result of these crimes of genocide, persecution, expulsion, armed conflicts committed against the Azerbaijani population in violation of international humanitarian law, a total of 27 people were intentionally killed, 21 people received injuries of varying degrees of severity, two villagers were taken hostage, 340 people out of 81 family households were expelled from their places of permanent residence to other territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, resulting in material damage of total amount of 13,568,060 manats to the village residents, and 130,800 manats to the state.
