Lawyer: trials in Baku lack fairness and transparency

PanARMENIAN.Net - The ongoing trial of former military and political leaders of Artsakh in Baku is taking place behind closed doors, with only Azerbaijani state media present. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan stated that the charges against Armenian prisoners of war are fabricated and that the ongoing trials in Baku do not adhere to the principles of justice.

"In these trials against Armenians, we see staged court proceedings rather than justice," she told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Artsakh’s former state minister, Ruben Vardanyan, had requested a private meeting with his lawyer, which the court initially granted. However, after a recess, both Vardanyan and his defense attorney filed a motion for recusal, which the judge refused to consider.

Prior to the first court session, Vardanyan informed his family that he was being subjected to pressure in Baku and that the charges against him were fabricated. He rejected the public defender assigned by Azerbaijan, making him the only Armenian prisoner represented by a private attorney, Avraham Berman.

However, according to Sahakyan, the lawyer's independence is relative.

"If private attorneys act too independently and courageously, they risk losing their license due to state repression. In some cases, criminal prosecutions have even been initiated against them," she emphasized.

Ruben Vardanyan, a businessman and philanthropist, moved to Artsakh two years after the 44-day war and served as state minister for just three months. Despite having no involvement in military operations in Artsakh or Armenia, he faces charges of war crimes.

As with other Armenian prisoners, Vardanyan has also been accused of crimes against Azerbaijan, including charges related to the September 2022 border clashes.

However, it is well documented that Azerbaijan launched an attack on Armenia in September 2022, seizing sovereign Armenian territories. The two-day clashes resulted in the deaths of more than 200 Armenian soldiers and civilians.

"These individuals are symbolic targets of personal revenge, but Azerbaijan's ultimate goal is to put Artsakh’s right to self-determination on trial and condemn it," Sahakyan stated.

Legal experts believe that Baku is using these cases, with Armenia’s involvement, as a means to undermine the issue of Artsakh’s self-determination in international courts. By securing guilty verdicts, Azerbaijan seeks to portray Armenia as an aggressor that "occupied Artsakh."

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently stated that Armenian prisoners in Baku might be coerced into making statements that could later be used against Armenia. He described the trials as a theatrical performance.

According to Sahakyan, the Armenian government is avoiding active steps, even on humanitarian issues, and is failing to counter Azerbaijan’s long-term objectives in international political and diplomatic arenas.

Ruben Vardanyan’s trial will continue on February 25, while the trials of former Artsakh leaders are scheduled for February 20.