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The Baku Military Court on Monday resumed the sham trial of Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian political prisoner illegally detained in Azerbaijan since September 2023.

The court hearing was mainly focused on the announcement of charges against him. The state prosecutor resumed reading the extensive indictment, which spans numerous volumes and dates back to events unrelated to Vardanyan, Free Armenian Prisoners reported.

Ruben Vardanyan filed a motion to recuse the judicial panel, substantiating his request with the following points:

– Violation of Rights: The panel failed to address procedural rights violations that occurred during the investigation stage.
– Disregard for International Legal Norms: The court ignored applicable international standards that could have ensured fairness in the trial.
– Translation Errors: The materials provided contained serious translation errors that misrepresented the proceedings, which were acknowledged by the court itself.
– Judicial Inconsistencies: The court’s decision during the preparatory hearing reflected only one motion (regarding postponement), while all other motions were dismissed and omitted from the decision.

Vardanyan's lawyer reinforced the motion to recuse the judicial panel by referencing legal norms and personally confirming the procedural violations he witnessed as a participant in the investigation process.

However, the court did not address the motion during the trial.