The trials of Armenian hostages are beginning in Baku’s military court. Azerbaijani media has announced that on January 17, the trials of Ruben Vardanyan, the former State Minister of Artsakh, and Arayik Harutyunyan, the former President of Artsakh, will take place. While Baku has only mentioned the trials of these two former officials, the process has also commenced for other hostages, according to Siranush Sahakyan, head of the "International and Comparative Law Center" and a human rights advocate.
Out of the 23 Armenian prisoners confirmed by Azerbaijan, 7 have already been sentenced. Alyosha Khosrovyan, Lyudvig Mkrtchyan, and Vigen Euljekhyan received 20-year prison sentences. David Davtyan and Gevorg Sujyan, who were detained on November 11, 2020, were sentenced to 15 years. Rashid Beglaryan and Vagif Khachatryan, abducted in 2023, have also been sentenced to 15 years by Azerbaijan.
The trials for the remaining 16 Armenian hostages are set to begin. Among them are eight current and former officials of the Republic of Artsakh, who were abducted in 2023 during Azerbaijan’s military aggression against Artsakh.
According to the official statement, 15 individuals are accused of crimes involving 2,548 charges. Among them are Arkadi Ghukasyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, Davit Babayan, Lyova Mnatsakanyan, Davit Manukyan, Garik Martirosyan, Melikset Pashayan, Gurgen Stepanyan, Levon Balayan, Madat Babayan, Davit Alaverdyan, Vasili Beglaryan, and Erik Ghazaryan.
Ruben Vardanyan faces a massive package of around 45 charges, with the possibility of life imprisonment. These charges relate to 20 different articles of Azerbaijan's Criminal Code. Fabricated evidence is presented across 100 volumes, totaling approximately 25,000 pages, all in Azerbaijani.
By arresting individuals who served in leadership positions in the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan has committed serious violations of international law. The charges brought against them are fabricated, targeting these individuals for defending their people's right to self-determination.
Since 2020, the judicial proceedings initiated by Azerbaijan against Armenian detainees have raised serious concerns regarding violations of international fair trial standards. Numerous reports from reputable organizations highlight that the legal community in Azerbaijan is heavily influenced by the executive branch. Cases have also been documented where lawyers have been disbarred for performing their professional duties with integrity.
It is worth noting that the cases of Ruben Vardanyan and the former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh are being tried in a military court in Baku, instead of a civilian court. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, the jurisdiction of military tribunals should be limited to "strictly military offenses committed by service members." However, even if the defendants were tried in civilian courts, serious concerns would still arise regarding the lack of independence and impartiality within Azerbaijan's judiciary.
The outcomes of the trials are predetermined: guilty verdicts, long-term imprisonment, and life imprisonment with the use of various types of punishment. This conviction is further reinforced by the outcomes of trials involving other Armenians. Every Armenian who has faced Azerbaijani courts has been sentenced for some alleged act. There is not a single instance where Azerbaijan has issued an acquittal in cases involving Armenian detainees.