Vice President of the Armenian National Congress, Levon Zurabyan, commented on the ongoing trials of former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders in Baku, describing the proceedings as a political farce and condemning the international community’s silence.
He called the silence of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries — the United States, France, and Russia — unacceptable with regard to the fate of the captured leaders.
“Since Armenia currently lacks a government worthy of a sovereign state, we are forced to respond to Baku’s accusations against Armenia and the Artsakh Movement.
With regard to the shameful ‘trial’ over the Artsakh Movement in Baku, we reaffirm all our assessments made in our January 19 statement.
We express our full support to the former leaders of Artsakh — Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan; National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan; State Minister Ruben Vardanyan; Defense Army Commander Levon Mnatsakanyan and his deputy Davit Manukyan; Foreign Minister Davit Babayan; and all other unlawfully captured compatriots held hostage in Azerbaijan, who are being subjected to harsh persecution and torture merely for exercising the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination.”
Zurabyan emphasized that the legal and peaceful process to realize Artsakh’s self-determination began and continued as a response to Azerbaijan’s systematic violations of the rights of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and its population — including state-led violence and military aggression in Sumgait (1988), Kirovabad, Khanlar, Shamkhor, Baku (1990), the 1991 Operation Ring, and later in Shahumyan, Martakert, and Martuni (1992).
He stressed that the former Artsakh leaders were abducted by Azerbaijan in September 2023, in violation of international norms and agreements — notably the OSCE-brokered negotiations and the November 9, 2020, trilateral declaration — amid a campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The so-called judicial process initiated by Azerbaijan, a state that promotes systemic Armenophobia, represses its own citizens’ democratic rights, and holds over 200 political prisoners, is a mockery of justice. The law enforcement and judicial bodies in Azerbaijan are mere instruments of oppression, willing to fabricate any outcome demanded by the authorities through violence, torture, coercion, and other illegal means. Therefore, any ‘evidence,’ ‘testimony,’ or verdicts in this process hold zero credibility or legal value.”
Zurabyan also condemned public criticism in Armenia directed at the captive former leaders, asserting that attention should focus solely on their lives, health, and safe return.
He denounced the inaction of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, noting that these individuals had been recognized as legitimate negotiating partners for decades and should be the first to demand their release.
He called the Armenian government’s indifference “even more unacceptable,” stating that the authorities must publicly advocate for the captives’ release and make it a central condition in reconciliation and peace talks with Azerbaijan. He also urged them to appeal to the international community and the Minsk Group states, and to raise the issue at the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, and European Parliament — particularly emphasizing Azerbaijan’s blatant violation of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial.
On October 31, the trial of 15 Armenian captives — including Nagorno-Karabakh’s former political and military leadership — concluded in Baku. The prosecution requested additional time to prepare its final statements. Following the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh after a nine-month blockade, Azerbaijan captured former Presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and Arayik Harutyunyan, ex-State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, Foreign Minister Davit Babayan, and others. The fabricated charges could result in life sentences. The staged trials began on January 17, 2024.