Karabakh leaders sentenced to life imprisonment in Baku

Former Nagorno-Karabakh presidents Arayik Harutyunyan and Bako Sahakyan, Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, former Defense Army commander Levon Mnatsakanyan and his deputy Davit Manukyan, and former parliament speaker Davit Ishkhanyan were sentenced to life imprisonment by a military court in Baku.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the trial of the former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders accused of war crimes concluded on October 31, 2025. The prosecution requested life imprisonment for Arayik Harutyunyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and Davit Manukyan, and 16 to 20 years in prison for the others. On December 4, the lawyers called the guilt of their clients unproven and called on the court to acquit them. On December 11, eight defendants in the case against the military-political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh made their final statements in court in Baku. All of them stated that they do not consider themselves guilty of the war crimes charged against them. On December 22, Babayan and Mnatsakanyan also denied the charges in a Baku court. On December 26, 2025, former speaker of the Nagorno-Karabakh parliament David Ishkhanyan made his final statement, denying the charges. The verdict will be announced at the next session.

At the Baku Military Court, judges are announcing the verdict at the trial of Armenian citizens accused of war crimes against Azerbaijan, Report reports today.

Former Nagorno-Karabakh presidents Arayik Harutyunyan and Bako Sahakyan, Foreign Minister David Babayan, former Defense Army commander Levon Mnatsakanyan and his deputy David Manukyan, and former parliament speaker David Ishkhanyan have been sentenced to life imprisonment, the agency reports.

The defendants are charged under Articles 100 (planning, preparation, unleashing, or waging an aggressive war), 102 (attack on persons or institutions enjoying international protection), 103 (genocide), 105 (depopulation), 106 (slavery), 107 (deportation or forcible transfer of population), 109 (persecution), 110 (enforced disappearance of persons), 112 (deprivation of liberty in violation of international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary activities), 115 (violations of the laws or customs of war), 116 (violations of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts), 118 (robbery of war), 120 (willful murder), 192 (illegal business), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing of terrorism), 218 (organization of a criminal community (criminal organization), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of weapons, components therefor, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices), 270-1 (acts that pose a threat to aviation security), 277 (attempt on the life of a statesman or public figure), 278 (violent seizure of power or violent retention of power, violent change of the constitutional order of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations or groups not provided for by law) and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azertaj reported earlier.