An international independent researcher was denied entry to the Baku Military Court. This was stated in an interview with NEWS.am by Siranush Sahakyan, Head of the "Center for International and Comparative Law" and representative of the interests of Armenian prisoners of war 1 at the ECHR. According to her, although Azerbaijan states every time that the hearings are open, the court building is strictly controlled, and the researcher was denied entry. "They informed him that entry to the territory is possible only with the permission of the Prosecutor General's Office or the Supreme Court, and later, during his stay in Azerbaijan, he was also subjected to harassment. This is what needs to be known about the 'open trials' taking place in Baku," Sahakyan said.
Siranush Sahakyan also added that information had been received from international individual human rights defenders and representatives of NGOs who had officially applied to Azerbaijan for permission to attend the sessions and enter the country, but their applications were not granted.
"Even diplomats accredited in Baku have failed to attend the sessions, although they have submitted applications in accordance with official procedures for this purpose. Azerbaijani legislation is harmonized with international standards, according to which anyone wishing has the right to participate in open court hearings. We are actually dealing with a situation where they do not respect their own law," the human rights defender emphasized, expressing concern regarding Azerbaijan's demand for the International Committee of the Red Cross to be removed from Baku, which, according to her, will create major problems for Armenian prisoners of war. "I have information that for two months already, the Red Cross has been unable to visit some Armenian prisoners of war sentenced to imprisonment. We do not know if this is a technical issue or due to the notification to cease the Red Cross's activities in the country, and restrictions have already begun." According to Siranush Sahakyan, this information is regularly presented to international organizations.