Former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan was one of the leaders of the "self-defense committee" that directly controlled the "army" of the separatists during the First Karabakh War, Davit Ishkhanyan, the former "chairman of the parliament" of the criminal regime, said at today's court hearing on the case of Armenian separatists,“EDnews”  informs.

Answering questions from the state prosecution, Ishkhanyan emphasized that the "army" of the self-proclaimed regime was controlled by a certain "self-defense committee".

"The leaders were Serzh Sargsyan and Samvel Babayan. But I can't say anything about the management mechanism," he said.

The Baku Judicial Complex is holding another hearing today in the case of representatives of the former Armenian separatist regime in Karabakh, accused of war crimes against Azerbaijan.

There are 15 defendants in the case: Arkady Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, David Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Leva Mnatsakanyan, David Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Davit Allahverdyan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Vasily Beglaryan and Erik Ghazaryan.