Opposition MP says authorities sideline POW issue

PanARMENIAN.Net - A harsh verdict handed down against businessman and philanthropist Ruben Vardanyan was predictable given the nature of Azerbaijani justice, wrote Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the National Assembly’s I Have Honor faction, on his Facebook page.

According to him, “the Armenian authorities consider the Artsakh issue closed and fear that any occasion related to it may irritate Baku, and for that reason have pushed the matter onto an inert platform.”

In his assessment, the issue of Armenians unlawfully held in Baku has never taken on a legal nature at any stage but has been purely political, and its resolution must also be sought within the same political logic.

“The biggest problem is that although the issue of prisoners is raised at meetings in various formats, it does not become a central item on the agenda for any side… Freedom to all Armenians imprisoned in Baku,” the MP noted.

A court in Baku sentenced Ruben Vardanyan to 20 years in prison.

Former Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan was sentenced to life imprisonment. Life sentences were also imposed on former Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan, former First Deputy Commander Davit Manukyan, former Artsakh Foreign Minister Davit Babayan and former National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan. Former Artsakh presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Madat Babayan and Melikset Pashayan were sentenced to 19 years, Garik Martirosyan to 18 years, Davit Alaverdyan and Levon Balayan to 16 years, and Erik Ghazaryan, Gurgen Stepanyan and Vasily Beglaryan to 15 years in prison.