A senior lawmaker from Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract Party has voiced serious concern over the lengthy prison sentences sought by Azerbaijani prosecutors in the trial of former Nagorno-Karabakh officials and other Armenian detainees in Baku.
Member of Parliament Artur Hovhannisyan, Secretary of the Civil Contract faction, addressed the issue during a press briefing, commenting in the context of the ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hovhannisyan said the trial is “very concerning.”
“We have stated and expressed deep concerns regarding the trial taking place in Baku. And yes, I must echo the Prime Minister in noting that the current atmosphere of peace should create favorable conditions for us to resolve the issue of returning all our compatriots held in Azerbaijan to their homes,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s earlier statement.
Hovhannisyan reiterated that efforts continue daily to secure the release of the Armenian prisoners held in Baku. “We hope that the upcoming peace processes will facilitate developments and create an environment in which all our compatriots can return,” the MP added.
Azerbaijani prosecutors have requested prison terms ranging from 16 years to life imprisonment for former leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, who face numerous charges, including terrorism. Three former presidents are among the 23 detainees captured after Azerbaijan’s 2023 military takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh. Some experts have described the proceedings as “sham trials.”
According to Azerbaijani media, prosecutors have asked the court to sentence former Nagorno-Karabakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former army chief Levon Mnatsakanyan, former deputy army chief Davit Manukyan, former Parliament Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, and former Foreign Minister David Babayan to life imprisonment. For former presidents Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, prosecutors are requesting 20-year terms, since Azerbaijani law prohibits life sentences for defendants aged 65 or older.
The remaining defendants face prison terms between 16 and 20 years. Former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan is being tried separately.