During its genocidal attacks on the Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in 2020 and 2023, Azerbaijan abducted many Armenian soldiers, civilians, and political leaders. Azerbaijan is currently confirmed to be holding at least 23 Armenian hostages. The true figure may be as high as 100. Read here for more info.
Of the twenty-three, seven have had their show trials and been convicted (written in red). The opening session of the remaining sixteen show trials is scheduled to be held on 17 January 2025, at the Baku Military Court.
Political Prisoners
Davit Babayan
DOB: 5 April 1973
Babayan served as foreign minister from 2021 to 2023 and became a presidential advisor in January 2023. Knowing that he was on Azerbaijan’s wanted list, he announced on September 28, 2023, that he was handing himself over. The following day, he was arrested.
Davit Ishkhanyan
DOB: 27 December 1968
Ishkhanyan was elected Republic of Artsakh parliament speaker in August 2023, just one month before Azerbaijan’s offensive. He was abducted on 3 October 2023, in Stepanakert.
Arkadi Ghukasyan
DOB: 22 June 1957
Ghukasyan was the Republic of Artsakh’s second president, serving from 1997 to 2007. He was abducted on 3 October 2023, in Stepanakert.
Arayik Harutyunyan
DOB: 14 December 1973
Harutyunyan was the fourth president of the Republic of Artsakh, serving from May 2020 until his resignation on 1 September 2023. He was abducted on 3 October 2023, in Stepanakert.
Davit Manukyan
DOB: 14 September 1965
Retired General and former deputy commander of the Republic of Artsakh Defense Forces, Manukyan was abducted on 27 September 2023, at the Lachin Corridor border checkpoint while crossing to Armenia together with the remaining civilian population of Artsakh.
Levon Mnatsakanyan
DOB: 14 September 1955
Retired General and former minister of defense of the Republic of Artsakh, Mnatsakanyan commanded the Artsakh Defense Army from 2015 to 2018. He was abducted at the Lachin Corridor border checkpoint on 29 September 2023 while crossing to Armenia together with the remaining civilian population of Artsakh.
Bako Sahakyan
DOB: 30 August 1960
Abducted on 3 October 2023 in Stepanakert, Sahakyan was the third and longest-serving president of the Republic of Artsakh. He served from July 2007 until May 2020.
Ruben Vardanyan
DOB: 25 May 1968
Social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and co-founder of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, Vardanyan served as former State (Prime) Minister of the Artsakh Republic from 4 November 2022 to 23 February 2023. Vardanyan was abducted on 27 September 2023, at the Lachin Corridor border checkpoint while crossing to Armenia together with the remaining civilian population of Artsakh.
Civilian Detainees
Madat Babayan
DOB: 15 September 1952
The (then) 71-year-old shepherd was declared missing following the Azerbaijani offensive on September 19, 2023. On November 2, Baku announced that he had been detained.
Rashid Beglaryan
DOB: 2 November 1962
Beglaryan was detained on 1 August 2023 during Azerbaijan’s siege of Artsakh while traveling on foot toward the village of Aghavno, which was handed over to Azerbaijan the year prior.
On 12 July 2024, at a show trial at the Military Court of Baku, Beglaryan was found guilty of war crimes in connection with his participation in the first Artsakh war in the early 1990s and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Davit Davtyan
DOB: 5 February 1993
The humanitarian aid worker was abducted (With his associate Gevorg Sujyan) on 11 November 2020, (After the 9 November 2020 Trilateral Ceasefire Announcement stopping the 2020 war on Artsakh), on the Berdzor-Shushi road in Artsakh.
On 28 July 2021, at a show trial at the Court on Grave Crimes in Baku, Davtyan and Sujyan were convicted of espionage and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
Vicken Euljekjian
DOB: 12 July 1979
On 10 November 2020, hours after the 2020 war ceasefire came into effect, Lebanese-born Armenian national Euljekian was abducted in Shushi, Artsakh, with his traveling Lebanese-Armenian friend, Maral Najarian.
On 14 June 2021, at his show trial at the Yasamal District Court, Euljekian was convicted of being a terrorist and a mercenary and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Gevorg Sujyan
DOB: 21 January 1989
The humanitarian aid worker was abducted (With his associate Davit Davtyan) on 11 November 2020, (After the 9 November 2020 Trilateral Ceasefire Announcement stopping the 2020 war on Artsakh), on the Berdzor-Shushi road in Artsakh.
On 28 July 2021, at a show trial at the Court on Grave Crimes in Baku, Sujyan and Davtyan were convicted of espionage and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
Vagif Khachatryan
DOB: 28 October 1955
Khachatryan was being evacuated from Artsakh by the International Committee of the Red Cross for urgent medical treatment in Armenia when Azerbaijani border guards abducted him at the Lachin Corridor crossing point on 29 July 2023.
Photo left: At the crossing point
His show trial opened at the Yasamal District Court, chaired by Judge of the Baku Military Court Jamal Ramazanov, on October 13, where he was baselessly charged with committing “genocide” in Meshali village of Khojaly district during the first Artsakh war in the 1990s. On 7 November 2023, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years. A subsequent appeal was rejected.
Prisoners of War
Davit Allavertyan
Age: 36
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
Levon Balayan
Age: 46
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
Vasili Beglaryan
Age: 31
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
Erik Ghazaryan
Age: 39
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
Alyosha Khsorovyan
Age: 56
Date of capture: 3 October 2020
His (and Lyudvig Mkrtchyan’s) show trial was held in June 2021, in the administrative building of the Yasamal District Court. Khosrovyan was convicted on charges of torturing Azerbaijani hostages captured during the first Artsakh war in the 1990s, and sentenced on 2 August 2021 to 20 years in prison.
Garik Martrosyan
Age: 52
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
Lyudvig Mkrtchyan
Age: 54
Date of capture: 20 October 2020
Place of capture: Fizuli, Artsakh
His (and Alyosha Khsorovyan’s) show trial was held in June 2021, in the administrative building of the Yasamal District Court. Mkrtchyan was convicted on charges of torturing Azerbaijani hostages captured during the first Artsakh war in the 1990s and sentenced on 2 August 2021 to 20 years in prison.
Melikset Pashayan
Age: 53
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
Gurgen Stepanyan
Age: 37
Date of capture: September 2023
Place of capture: Artsakh
