The former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, addressed Azerbaijan’s fabricated accusations against the former political and military leadership of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). He said on X that these claims aim to conceal crimes committed against the people of Artsakh and Armenian captives held illegally in Baku.
Ocampo noted that the trials of the former leaders of Artsakh are set to start in Baku on January 17.
“Azerbaijan’s fabricated accusations cover up crimes committed against the people of Artsakh, including prisoners. Stalin is dead, but Aliyev is learning from him, using show trials to attack his enemies. This is what is happening in Azerbaijan now,” Ocampo remarked.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh, subjecting the region to intense shelling. A day later, on September 20, Artsakh’s authorities accepted a Russian-mediated ceasefire, agreeing to Baku’s terms, including the disarmament of Artsakh’s Defense Army and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. Beginning September 24, a mass deportation of Artsakh Armenians was carried out, forcing over 100,000 people to flee to Armenia. Reports indicate that only about 20 Armenians remain in Artsakh. On September 28, Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree dissolving the Republic of Artsakh, effective January 1, 2024.