Baku court announces verdict to Vagif Khachatryan

Chairman of the Baku Military Court Zeynal Aghayev read out the verdict during a regular court session on the criminal case of Vagif Khachatryan, accused of committing genocide in Meshali village of Azerbaijan's Khojaly district in the 1990s.

According to the verdict, Khachatryan was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment.

What crimes does Vagif Khachatryan commit?

In December 1991, the criminal group, which included Khachatryan, killed 25 Azerbaijanis, wounded 14 people, and expelled 358 Azerbaijanis from their legal place of residence in Meshali village.

In connection with the emergence of sufficient grounded suspicions, a decision was made to bring Khachatryan as an accused under Articles 103 (genocide) and 107 (deportation or forced resettlement of the population) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

A measure of restraint in the form of detention was chosen against him. About 59 people were recognized as victims in the criminal case.