Ruben Vardanyan refused the services of a lawyer.

Former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan has dismissed his lawyer, Avraham Berman, who has represented him since the beginning of his trial in the Baku Military Court.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, the Baku Military Court is considering charges against former Nagorno-Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan. The charges against him carry a life sentence. Since April 1, victims have been speaking at the hearings, demanding the "harshest" punishment for Vardanyan. The defendant and his lawyer have repeatedly lodged protests with the court, but all motions to recuse the judges have been rejected.

At a regular hearing in the Baku Military Court, Ruben Vardanyan announced that he was dismissing the services of his lawyer, Avraham Berman. Vardanyan's defense attorney, who has represented him since the beginning of the trial, was chosen by him, the court's press service emphasized in all reports on the hearings.

Today's hearing, according to the official announcement, began with a routine introduction of the trial participants to the victims and their legal successors, who were appearing in court for the first time. Then, defendant Vardanyan requested a confidential meeting with his lawyer, Avraham Berman. The court granted the meeting and announced a short recess, after which Vardanyan announced his refusal of Berman's services.

In declaring his refusal of a lawyer, Vardanyan explained that he was "generally dissatisfied with the course of the trial." He did not provide a specific reason for refusing the services of a lawyer under an agreement. Avraham Berman himself left the decision to the court's discretion. Ruben Vardanyan stated that he did not have an agreement with another lawyer, agreeing to a public defender, APA reports.

As a result, the court accepted Vardanyan's refusal of a lawyer and sent a decision to the Azerbaijan Bar Association, according to which the defendant must be provided with a new lawyer at the state's expense. The next hearing in Ruben Vardanyan's case is scheduled for October 28.