Two former members of the German Bundestag, Axel Fischer and Eduard Lintner, will stand trial on corruption charges as part of the so-called "Azerbaijani affair." Fischer is accused of accepting bribes, while Lintner is charged with bribing officials to influence decisions in favor of Azerbaijan in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). According to Siranush Sahakyan, head of the International and Comparative Law Center, such cases have a systemic nature, with extensive machinery at work to establish spheres of influence.
"There have been no significant revelations in this area, and the widespread concealment and lack of transparency have normalized such phenomena. We’ve encountered similar issues involving Italian parliamentarians and believe these are merely a few exposed cases. Considering the degree of independence of German courts, I believe it’s possible to achieve positive rulings. However, these should serve as a foundation for uncovering similar incidents," said Sahakyan in an interview with Channel 1.
The parliamentarians, of course, deny the charges. However, according to the human rights lawyer, a confession is not the only form of evidence. The very fact that the case has been sent to court indicates that the prosecution has a collection of evidence and considers it possible to substantiate the charges even without confessional statements.
Siranush Sahakyan also expressed her belief that Azerbaijan targeted delegations and their members within PACE who held voting rights. "Presumably, delegations with friendly relations with Armenia were excluded, as they might have posed a risk of leaks. To assess the effectiveness of these efforts, we need to examine what resolutions the Parliamentary Assembly adopted during that period and how objectively it responded to human rights violations in Azerbaijan. As you know, during this time, Azerbaijan attempted to circulate several anti-Armenian resolutions. Furthermore, when issues related to the Republic of Artsakh were discussed, inappropriate positions were formed. I believe this is also a result of Azerbaijan's “caviar diplomacy.” On the other hand, PACE remained silent on widespread human rights violations, and I think that silence also comes at a price," said Sahakyan.
Speaking about Azerbaijan’s demand that Armenia withdraw all claims against it in international courts as a condition for signing a “peace treaty,” Siranush Sahakyan stated that this was predictable. “Legal proceedings are set to document violations, uncover the truth, and restore justice—areas where Azerbaijan has neither actions to take nor arguments to present. Azerbaijan is a state that has acted against interests protected by international law, committed war crimes against humanity, and violated Armenia’s territorial integrity. Yet, it continues to benefit from its impunity. Azerbaijan has no choice but to attempt to derail these claims through pressure,” said Sahakyan.
The human rights lawyer is convinced that abandoning the lawsuits cannot bring peace. In her view, Armenia should demand that Azerbaijan revise its policies. “We need a change in the situation where peace can be achieved without legal disputes,” she emphasized.
According to the human rights lawyer, withdrawing lawsuits from international courts is such a critical issue for Azerbaijan that failing to meet this demand could also lead to the refusal to sign the agreement.
Speaking about the expectations following Armenia's ratification of the Rome Statute, Siranush Sahakyan noted that there was an anticipation that "the ratification would have a preventive effect. However, we witnessed that after the ratification, a crime against humanity was planned and executed, leading to the forced displacement of the Armenians of Artsakh from their ancestral homeland."
"Since we did not have the preventive effect of the ratification, it is understandable at this point to direct these crimes to a criminal court and address the issue of holding those responsible for planning these crimes accountable. However, Armenia has taken no steps in this regard," Sahakyan stated.