Activists demand justice for Armenian detainees in Baku

PanARMENIAN.Net - A protest was held outside the UN office in Yerevan demanding the release of Armenian captives imprisoned in Baku under the slogan “Armenians are unlawfully held hostage in Baku.” The demonstration coincided with Human Rights Day, marking the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Participants submitted a letter to the UN, stressing that in the 21st century, Armenian prisoners of war are subjected to sham trials violating their fundamental rights. The letter emphasized that this day should not only commemorate the historic significance of the declaration but also reaffirm international commitment to the principles that must be upheld regardless of political or geopolitical shifts.

“The available information regarding the conditions of Armenian POWs indicates numerous violations — captives are often deprived of contact with their families for extended periods,” the letter said.

It added that, according to international reports, the proceedings against detainees and their conditions of imprisonment fail to meet even minimum international standards. The captives face limited access to legal counsel, restrictions on visitation rights, and a lack of information about their health. Their trials, it was stated, do not adhere to basic legal norms.

“In these circumstances, every captive is not simply a person deprived of liberty, but someone subjected to procedures that violate international standards,” the statement read.

The demonstrators called on the UN and the international community to immediately intervene and demand the release of Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijani prisons. They urged independent evaluation of the trials and the enforcement of standards in line with international law to ensure the unimpeded exercise of basic human rights.

“On this Human Rights Day, we are reminded that rights are not just words on paper; they require protection, response, and action. A world that believes in justice and human liberty cannot remain silent. Silence in this case would be complicity with injustice and impunity,” the statement concluded.

According to Azerbaijani media, prosecutors have demanded life sentences for former Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, ex-Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, his former deputy Davit Manukyan, and former parliamentary speaker Davit Ishkhanyan.

Sentences of 20 years were reportedly sought for former Karabakh Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, as well as for Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan. Other requested sentences include 19 years for Garik Martirosyan, 18 years for Davit Alaverdyan, 17 years for Levon Babayan, and 16 years for Vasil Beglaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan, and Edik Ghazaryan.